Talon's Little Wing
by Quinis
Summary: Dick Grayson became Talon (not Robin). Now he's on the streets and has taken a young street rat under his wing. A street rat who likes to steal tires from Batmobiles.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes:** Another prompt fill. This one is one which caught my imagination. I wanted to see what could be done with it. I hope everyone enjoys. (It's going to be multi-chaptered too)

 **Prompt** from Grandshadowseal: _Talon Dick who's been a talon since the circus (court of owls got to him before Bruce could adopt him maybe) finds a street rat Jason (maybe only a month on the streets) and decides to look out for him and start training him to defend himself while Jason tries to get Dick to stop killing people that try and hurt his 'little wing' or at least to stop killing them in front of him... (It's a slow process)_

 _After a couple of years Bruce will still find Jason jacking his Batmobile wheels, even bypassing his traps which is meant to prevent that (thanks to Dick's training) and decides to take him in as the first robin. Dick would eventually get caught visiting Jason at the manor and almost gets frozen for his trouble (maybe Bruce has had a run in with the court of owls before) until Jason talk's Bruce into taking Dick in as well..._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

It was strange. He shouldn't have felt anything. But something about the energy of this kid attracted his attention. Or maybe it was the cry of pain from his opponent.

"Bring it on!" the battered child growled, fists curled before him. He had kicked one of the two men in the crotch, causing the cry which had attracted the Talon's attention.

Talon watched impassively as the kid fought with everything he had. It was desperation which drove his punches, a feeling Talon began to recall. He had felt it, back in the beginning. When he was lost among walls of white, when every turn gave him the same scene or brought him back to the start at the stupid fountain and he had felt the kind of desperation which made one lash out.

This kid... As Talon expected, he was eventually beaten to his knees. The kid's cry of pain as the man's punch connected pulled at Talon. Talon remembered his training. The moment he fought back.

This kid would do the same. He had a knife in his pocket, Talon could see it. He would stab and cut and possibly kill his two assailants in an unskilled manner.

 _There!_

The kid rose up and tossed dirt and gravel into the man's face before bolting. His back faded into the distance before Talon realised that what he had expected hadn't happened.

 _The kid had run?_

Talon grabbed his knives and jumped down from his place on the fire escape. Before the men could fully register what they were facing, he had slit their throats. Then he bolted after the kid. He followed the kid through back alleys, across rooftops and almost lost him as he ducked through a store and came out the back way.

Finally, the kid stopped. He sat down behind a dumpster and sighed. His face stung, Talon could tell by the way he hissed with pain.

"Stop being creepy!" the kid growled at him. "I don't know who you are but I'll mess you up if you mess with me!"

Talon laughed. His laugh was harsh but jolly, the kind of a crazy villain who had found a new toy. This warmth was interesting.

"I think I like you," he said walking over and sitting down across from the kid.

He could see the kid processing and the moment he realised he was talking to a Talon.

"What does a Talon want with a street kid like me? I don't remember doing anything to attract the attention of the Court of Owls?"

Talon pulled off his cowl and smiled at the kid with white teeth. "Knowing what I am is enough," he said. "But no. I am not of the Court for now. I find you interesting."

"Okay," the kid said sceptically.

"I killed those men for you," Talon announced.

"That's just creepy," the kid grumbled. "I didn't ask you to kill anyone for me. I can take care of myself."

Talon just smiled. After a while, the kid moved away. He kept his eyes on Talon as he walked away. Talon followed. After all, the kid was hardly a threat to him. After a couple of streets, the kid seemed to give up and just let him follow.

"Great, now I've got a pet assassin myth to look after."

* * *

Jason didn't know how he had managed to attract the attention of a Talon. The Gotham myth followed him around from day to day. Jason had tried asking about the Court after a couple of days of being shadowed. He knew it was stupid, asking about the Court was a death sentence. However he wanted to know if Talon had anywhere else to be. The assassin certainly didn't seem to have anything else to do other than following him around.

Jason's questions didn't receive answers beyond Talon assuring him that the Court wouldn't be a problem. Somehow, that wasn't helping. Jason was on edge. It didn't help that he looked into what happened to the two men who had attacked him. They had been killed in the alley. Throats slashed effortlessly.

He was in so much danger but there was nothing he could do about it. If Talon wanted, Jason would be dead within moments.

"I wouldn't do that, Little Wing," Talon said with a smile when Jason brought it up. Talon had removed his hood, revealing a young adult with light blue eyes and dark hair. His pale skin made his features appear even more porcelain.

"Little Wing?" Jason questioned.

"I am a bird, the talon in the night. You are mine. My little wing, light and free," Talon explained. It sent a shiver down Jason's spine.

* * *

Talon came through the window most nights. He was often covered in blood and Jason was disturbingly getting good at telling when the blood was fresh.

"You killed someone again," he said. Talon covered in blood often meant the other target was killed.

Talon pulled off his hood and frowned, like he couldn't understand why Jason was upset about that.

"They punched a kid. So I punched them," he said. "And then I made sure they could never do it again?"

"What if that was their kid? I certainly wouldn't like it if someone came in and killed my old man! Sure, someone beating him up would be nice but not kill. You kill my old man and I'm going to hate you!" he growled in a fit of passion. A moment later, he realised it wasn't a good idea to disagree with the assassin. However, it was too late to take his words back so he stood his ground.

Talon slipped a knife into his hands and contemplated it. The silence was tense as Jason watched the assassin... puzzle out his words? Contemplate how to slice him?

Talon's voice, when he spoke, was low. "Your father punches you?"

"Not your problem. And he's in prison so you don't need to do anything."

Talon didn't seem to think so. The knife vanished from his hands like magic and the assassin took a step towards him. "I won't. You would hate it. I will teach you to fight. Then you punch him." Talon nodded, like this was a perfectly reasonable plan.

Surprisingly, it wasn't a bad plan. Fighting skills taught by an assassin could have their use on Gotham's streets.

Jason found himself agreeing. He would regret it in the short term, as his body ached from being pushed to its limits. He would come to hate trains as Talon thought riding on them blindfolded was good fun. He would enjoy the soft encouragement that Talon gave him, words echoed from old memories the assassin held.

Jason never did learn about where Talon had come from or if he had been born in the Court.

* * *

A year passed and Jason flourished with Talon by his side. The assassin taught him to fight, how to break into people's houses with and without them noticing and also provided him with some companionship as his mother had died a month before he met Talon and his father was locked away, hopefully for a long time.

Things changed on the one night that every criminal knew never to do anything in Crime Alley. The night when the Batman was predictable. He was always there this night, although no one could figure out exactly why. What brought the scourge of Gotham's criminal-kind to the cesspit of crime that one night every year?

Jason wasn't too interested in the discussion of why. He was more interested in the sleek car parked just off the road.

The Batmobile. Batman was probably off doing whatever it was he did on this night. Jason knew just what to do. He worked his way around the security, just like Talon had showed him. Then he took the wheels off. He got two wheels off and stashed safely and returned to find Batman standing by the car.

He cursed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Jason bolted. He went down alleys, hopped onto garbage bins and up the wall and climbed through windows into abandoned apartments. He kept running until he reached his apartment. Talon wasn't anywhere to be seen but that was normal. Talon usually stayed hidden until Jason was in trouble or decided to acknowledge his existence.

Footfalls down the hall. Jason grabbed his crowbar as a weapon and waited for Batman to appear.

"Boo," a voice said from behind him. Jason jumped and a gloved hand grabbed his wrists. Batman glared at him as he took the crowbar from Jason, holding his arm tight. "Do you think it's funny to steal?"

Jason scoffed. "'Course not! It's a way to survive."

Batman's eyes widened behind the mask and he looked around. "It does seem like you are living here alone. And it is run down. How are you affording this, kid?"

"How do you think? However I can. But I'm paying for this place so get out."

Batman shook his head. "You are a minor. I can't leave you here."

Jason's blood went cold. With a dead mother and father in prison, foster care or an orphanage were where he was supposed to be according to the adults. There was no way Jason was going there, he had heard the horror stories. Some of the kids he knew had faded and even died after foster care.

"I'm not going!" Jason growled. "This is my place! My mama lived here!"

"Where's your mother now?"

"Where do you think? She's dead. Overdose." Tears pricked at Jason's eyes. He had looked after his mother time and time again but, that one time, it hadn't been enough. She had died. On his watch.

"Come with me," Batman said, pulling Jason down the hallway. Jason tried to pull himself out of Batman's grip but it was like iron. Batman wasn't letting him go until he decided to.

"I won't go into foster care!" he bellowed.

"Orphanage then."

"No!"

"Leave him alone!" A voice growled from the darkness as they left the building. Descending from a streetlamp, Talon dropped down and stabbed at Batman. The Batman had to let Jason go.

"You're a Talon," Batman said in surprise, taking up a battle stance. "You want me dead even though the Court no longer exists?"

"The Court is gone?" Jason questioned in surprise. Had Batman something to do with that? He seemed to know Talon.

Talon growled and pounced. Jason watched Batman and his friend exchange blows, his heart thudding in panic. Talon had watched over him, taught him how to protect himself and now he was fighting Batman for him.

Batman wasn't holding back. Every hit which connected gave a sicking crunch sound. Talon fought through the pain and fought even as his arm hung limply by his side. Batman stared at it. But he didn't have time to think about it as Talon attacked again. A swift uppercut in defence shattered the mask and almost sent it flying. Talon pulled it off.

Blue eyes glared at Batman with intense anger. Jason gasped as he saw Talon's face properly. He was pale and sweating.

"Stop!" he cried out, stepping between the two. "Talon, please stop! He'll kill you!"

"So be it," Talon grit out. However, now that Jason was standing between them, his movements became sluggish.

"Blue eyes," Batman mused. Talon bared his teeth and hissed as he took a step towards him and Jason. Batman held his hands up. "You can come with the boy, understand? I promise I won't hurt him and you can come along to make sure of it."

"Why should I believe you?" Talon spat. Jason agreed that Batman's attitude had changed quickly. However, Jason didn't want to put Talon in anymore danger. If he could give his friend a break from fighting, he would risk foster care. He had no doubt that, if Batman put him in foster care, Talon would help him escape.

"I'm going with him," Jason countered. "Come with me, please?"

"You need to put the wheels back on the Batmobile first," Batman said to Jason.

Jason rolled his eyes. Really? He half expected Batman to drive away after he put the wheels back on. Batman just held the passenger door open for Talon.

Jason jumped into the back seat and Talon slipped in beside him, ignoring the open door.

* * *

Batman drove through an underground tunnel and out into a cave. Jason couldn't help bouncing around and taking in everything. The Batmobile was the fanciest car he had ever seen, even the seats were smooth and fancy. There were buttons and dials for everything. The tunnel wasn't rock but smooth metal or something. Jason wondered how Batman had arranged all of this.

Then they pulled into the Batcave. Jason's jaw dropped as he took in the platforms, tables and technology. It was a lab and a detective's office all in one.

"Impressed?" Batman questioned, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Jason frowned. "No," he lied.

Talon was silent as he shadowed Jason. If Jason wasn't concentrating, he would forget that Talon was there.

"Welcome back sir," a British voice said. A thin older man stood at the bottom of the stairs with a tray in hand. There were glasses of milk and biscuits. "Exciting night?"

"Of course," Batman said, pulling off his cowl and taking a biscuit. "Take one," he said to Jason, holding out another biscuit.

"It is not poisoned, Master Talon," Alfred said to Talon. Jason turned to see Talon quickly hide an angry frown. "Master Bruce would not approve of such actions."

"...not a master," Talon grumbled.

"Try all you like, he won't drop the title," Bruce said. Jason stared. His face looked like Bruce Wayne, socialite and richest of the rich. But, from the neck down, he was Batman.

"Why are you Batman?" he asked.

Bruce knelt. "Have you heard what happened to my parents?"

Jason nodded. "They were shot."

"Murdered right in front of me," Bruce said with a nod. "I vowed I would find the one responsible and make sure no other children would have to go through what I did."

"You failed," Talon said, however, he was giving Bruce a curious kind of attention. His body language wasn't wary or even ready to fight anymore.

"I can't be everywhere at once," Bruce agreed. "But I would like to mend things with you and Jason."

"Talon too?" Jason questioned with a grin at Talon. He never thought they could actually live together. Talon was always so quick to leave Jason alone sometimes.

"I will not be yours. I refuse to be frozen," Talon said to Batman.

"We don't freeze people here, Talon," Alfred said. "Come, I will show you to your rooms. Spend one night and discuss the future in the morning."

"Goodnight," Bruce said, turning back to the computer.

Alfred cleared his throat. "In the morning, I said, Master Bruce."

Batman shook his head but went up the stairs. Alfred followed them up. Talon was not as comfortable in the manor as he was in the cave. Jason understood a little, everything was so big. What did Bruce and Alfred do with all this space?

Talon took a seat facing the bed and refused to move. Jason was a little creeped out.

"I've watched over your sleep before," Talon said as if that made it easier for him to sleep.

"Wow, that really makes me feel better," Jason said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Talon frowned as he puzzled whether Jason was serious or not. "It doesn't, Talon. It's creepy. Didn't Alfred give you your own room?"

"I will stay with you," Talon said.

Talon didn't want to leave but Jason didn't want him watching him sleep. He sighed and wiggled back, throwing the sheets up in an inviting way.

"Then you're going to try and sleep," Jason said. "Get in bed."

Talon climbed in, fully dressed and knives on his person. Jason was going crazy. He was in a manor because of a personal invite by the richest man in Gotham, who was also Batman and sharing a bed with his assassin-slash-friend who could probably kill him easier in his sleep for the close proximity.

"Go to sleep," Talon said to Jason, turning the teenager's words back against him.

"Fine," Jason huffed, closing his eyes and forcing himself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Too soft. He tried to push his hand down for leverage but it sunk. Something pooled heavily around him. In his half-asleep state, Jason rolled and dragged himself across and down. His hands met smooth hardness and he gratefully slid onto it. It was more comfortable and he once again drifted in sleep.

Then he registered a nearby darkness and he proceeded to push his body into it. It was warm, dark, comfortable and safe.

* * *

The door creaked open.

"Where is Young Master Jason?"

"Gone," Talon responded.

Jason remembered what had happened the previous night and he opened his eyes to the underside of a bed. He had slipped underneath in his sleep. However, he didn't feel like crawling out so he lay there while Alfred and Talon talked.

"I doubt he walked out of this room. Not if you're still here."

"Gone," Talon repeated.

"Perhaps then you would like to join us for breakfast, since Young Master Jason is 'gone'."

"There is no 'young master' in here," Talon said flatly.

"I see." Alfred left and Jason breathed again, only to startle when blue eyes on pale skin stared at him, peeking down from atop the bed.

"You're a strange one, little wing," Talon said. "Most sleep atop the bed."

"Like you?"

"I don't sleep."

That was a lie. Although Talon could fake it, Jason knew that he felt weary at times. At times, he would vanish for hours and then return fully rested.

"Do you eat? Because breakfast sounds good."

"Sounds stupid. Why feed us? We came from the street."

"Maybe we caught their attention," Jason said. Although he didn't say it, he did hope that maybe Bruce and Alfred were decent people. If you couldn't trust Batman in Gotham, who could you trust aside from yourself? Maybe it was time for Jason to find out whether there was anything good in this city's upper class.

Talon silently followed Jason out of the room and down the stairs.

* * *

This place was huge. Jason kept glancing back at Talon to see what he thought but the man's face was impassive as they walked around. The wealth and size of everything didn't even faze the assassin.

Jason was both sad and envious of that. There was something magical about the high ceilings and wood panels on the doors and floor but it seemed that Talon didn't see it. It was like being transported to one of Jason's favourite novels or something. But also, Jason was horrified by the presence of all this opulence when people he knew were starving and working three jobs for food and rent, never able to see their families.

They reached the end of the hallway and Jason stopped and turned around. Talon was standing like a wall behind him, making the place suddenly seem tight.

Where was he?

Jason cursed.

"What's wrong?" Talon asked.

"I have no idea where we are."

"We are in Bruce Wayne's mansion."

Jason glared at Talon, unsure whether he was doing that on purpose. "I mean, within Bruce Wayne's mansion. Where the #$* do we find breakfast?"

Talon grinned a sharp grin. While Jason felt a pang of annoyance, he wouldn't say anything since that grin also terrified him. Talon could destroy him the moment Jason stopped being amusing.

"Do you know?" he decided to ask instead, putting his hands on his hips and attempting to stare down Talon.

Talon shook his head. "I can get us back to the room though."

Jason followed him back down the hall. He wondered, "maybe this is how they intend to keep me, letting me get lost in the maze of a manor."

"Of course," Talon said bouncing around to grin at him again. "And then they'll grab you and turn you into a little bat, little wing."

A shiver went down Jason's back and he stopped. "What do you mean by that?"

Talon stopped and tilted his head, confused.

"What do you mean by 'grab me and turn me into a little bat'?" Jason asked again.

Talon hummed in confusion. Jason realised that not even he understood why he had said that. He sighed.

"Let's just get back to the room. Maybe we can climb out of the window."

* * *

Jason opened the bedroom door with a sunken feeling in his stomach. He was hungry and lost and this wasn't Gotham streets. An assassin was the closest thing to home he had tagging along with him and he hated that. It made him feel weak and pathetic.

"Master Jason."

"What?" he snapped. "What do'ya want now?"

Alfred didn't react to his words or the harshness of his tone. "Would you like me to guide you to breakfast?"

"Isn't it a little late for breakfast?"

"I would rather think not. Master Bruce just woke up."

"Great," Jason rolled his eyes. They arrange breakfast around the big man himself? However, food was food. Jason followed Alfred out to the table. He failed to notice that Talon had left until they had arrived at the dining room. Alfred reached for the door and Jason looked around, expecting to find Talon behind them but instead seeing empty air. Talon had to eat something. He wondered if Alfred or Bruce would realise that and leave something out for the assassin. Or would Talon go hungry as he had many times before?

There was cereal laid out on the table, along with cut up fruit, toast and spreads and even a plate of bacon and eggs. Jason's mouth dropped open at the sight of so much food.

"I wasn't sure what you would like to eat," Alfred said by way of explanation as he led Jason to the seat.

Jason's mouth was watering at the smell of bacon and sight of fruit.

"Dig in," Bruce said from behind a newspaper. Jason jolted and glared at the newspaper. He hadn't expected Bruce to speak to him, not with the newspaper acting as a screen between them.

"This is too much food." And Jason had never thought he would say that. Ever.

"Enjoy it," Bruce said. "Alfred will back up whatever is not eaten and either put it away for tomorrow or send it off to the shelters and food kitchens."

"I would suggest eating the bacon and eggs in that case," Alfred said. "That just goes to whomever is closest. It can't be stored for long."

Jason nodded and helped himself to a plate. So the food in the shelters and kitchens came from Bruce's own table? He didn't know what to think of that. Part of him thought it was hubris of the rich but another part thought it was just Bruce trying to help.

* * *

Talon reappeared shortly after Jason discovered the library. He was sitting there with a book when the window opened and Talon hopped in.

"You missed breakfast," Jason said. He reached over to the nearby table and uncovered the container of dry cereal he had been carrying around in the manor in the hopes of finding Talon. "I got you something."

Talon eyed the container warily before taking a couple of steps towards it. He took it, opened it and had a couple of handfuls of cereal before moving away to watch Jason read.

"Are you leaving here soon?" Talon asked. While Bruce was nice, it was dangerous here. Bruce was Batman and part of Gotham's upper class. He couldn't care for Jason.

"I don't know," Jason said, doing a 180 in opinion from that morning. The manor was wide and lonely and he had a feeling that Bruce and Alfred were lonely as well.

Talon's lips grew thin in that way angry adult's sometimes did. It was an expression Jason hadn't seen before.

"You could stay too." Alfred had said as much.

Talon looked away. "No."

"What?" No? Why? A pang in his chest told Jason that he didn't want to leave Talon.

"No. I am not going to stay here."

"Not even for me?" Jason asked. "I thought you were my friend! I thought you would stay by my side, even if I turned into a killer like my dad!"

"If you were a killer, I would stay. But not in a Wayne's manor."

"Why? What's wrong with the Waynes? Or is it because Bruce is Batman?"

"I am curious as well." Bruce was standing in the entrance-way, a serious expression on his face. If Talon or Jason had spent time learning about Bruce Wayne and seeing pictures of him at galas, the smile would have looked very out of place. However, they had not so they thought the frown suited him and that he frowned a lot. "Is this connected to the Court? They do consist of Gotham's upper class."

Jason jumped out of his chair and held his book like a weapon. Gotham's upper class, like Bruce Wayne, had made Talon? There was no way he was going to let them hurt either of them ever again.

Talon's hand reached out and touched Jason's, pushing the book down.

"It's okay. The Waynes had nothing to do with the Court, except as targets," Talon said to him. Then he turned to Bruce. "I will not stay here. You are the Batman. You freeze Talons and I do not want to experience that, ever. I would rather die."

"I do not freeze all Talons," Bruce said. "Only those who mean harm. I see you as Jason's guardian, making you not like the others."

Talon was still for a couple of moments.

"I do not believe you."

"I understand. Will you at least stay by Jason's side?" Bruce said. "I don't want to take away his past when I adopt him."

Jason froze at that. "Adopt?" he gasped.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Adopt? No.

"No!" Talon screeched. It felt like something was trying to claw out of his chest. The feelings of his young self surged forward; the one locked away, hurt and left behind. Adoption had never been on the table for someone like him.

Why? Why Jason? He wanted to tear his little bird apart so that Bruce couldn't have him.

Jason shivered in fear. He had never seen such a blazing expression on Talon's face. He instinctively stepped away.

Bruce didn't move, except to raise his weaponless hands. He kept his voice low and without the gravelly tone of Batman as he spoke.

"The offer is for both of you," he said. "Stay by Jason's side. Let me help you both."

Talon snarled. "Jason. Choose."

Jason's hands clenched into fists by his side as Talon spoke. He didn't want to choose. However, he knew that life was full of hard choices. He had watched his parents make them and had even made some himself.

"You. Talon." He should have known that he couldn't have this. He turned to Bruce, purposely showing Talon his back. He had to trust that Talon wouldn't hurt him. "I'm sorry but I'll have to turn you down. But hey," he chuckled. "I'll check out those food places, maybe I'll be able to spot Alfred's cooking."

Jason kept his eyes on Bruce's chest and off his expression. Then he turned back to Talon.

"Do you want to leave together? Or will you catch up to me later?"

Talon froze, feeling like ice water had been dropped over him. He looked from Bruce's stricken but accepting expression to Jason's determined one. He felt the weight of his choices on his shoulders.

Did he even know how to choose anymore? He couldn't even process the options Jason had just given him.

His mind defaulted to the last decision made for him. He looked to Bruce. Bruce had offered adoption without a choice, even though one was implied.

"Both of us? How?" he asked.

"I can create an identity or look into your old one," Bruce said. "Using that, I can adopt you the same way I hope to adopt Jason."

"My... old identity?" Talon mused. He saw the sparkle in Jason's eyes. The hope that they could stay here. It was safe, Talon had searched the property the day before. He knew that Bruce and Alfred had paid attention to his every move. "Perhaps."

Jason lit up and Talon felt his chest constrict in a warm and not painful way.

* * *

During their second day at the manor, Bruce took them back down into the Batcave.

"So cool," Jason said, looking around at the souvenirs Batman had taken from some of his more interesting cases. "Why do you have a giant dinosaur?"

"It's a long story," Bruce said. He ended up telling the story as he took blood from Talon and started running it through the computer. Jason listened to every word, even as he and Talon started doing handstands and cartwheels in the background.

Bruce was not surprised that the Talon hadn't listened to his request to take it easy for a couple of minutes after he drew the blood.

On the third day, Jason looked around the cave. This time he focused on the weapons, costumes and information stored with a thoughtful expression. Talon watched him from high places, even perching atop the dinosaur at one point.

Close to midday, Bruce had all the information he needed. Talon was convinced to leave Jason to his own devices for a couple of minutes while Bruce went through the information with him.

Richard John Grayson was his name. He preferred to be called 'Dick'. Talon knew this, he just didn't answer to that name anymore.

What he hadn't known was that Dick Grayson was marked as 'missing - presumed dead' in police files. Bruce explained what had happened to him clearly. It involved Talon informing him that he hadn't been part of the Night of the Owls since he had been untested at the time. The Court hadn't expected to lose to Batman. They hadn't expected Batwoman to appear or other forms of help from those who fought crime.

"Do you want to live again?" Bruce asked him, blue eyes piercing as he waited patiently for Talon's response.

Talon felt stuck. He had thought there was no living for him. He was a creature of the grey, not quite dark but not the light either.

"I am Talon," he said in response. He might not be a full Talon but he had enough for accelerated healing and remaining in peak physical condition.

Bruce seemed saddened by his response but he respected it and did not ask again.

* * *

"Why don't you want to be adopted?" Jason asked Talon while sitting on the bed next to him. Talon was cross-legged at the end of the bed while Jason was resting against the headboard with an open book in his lap. Bruce had found Talon's identity but Talon didn't want to use it. He also didn't want Bruce to make him a new one. It meant that Bruce couldn't officially adopt him as there was no legal name they could put on the forms. "Bruce is willing to take us both in and... I would be more comfortable if you were here too."

"You being adopted doesn't mean I have to leave," Talon said. They would have to freeze him to keep him away from Jason. His Little Wing might not need him but Talon was going to watch over him. "Bruce made that clear. And if he lied," Talon touched a couple of his hidden knives. Bruce and Alfred had given up trying to get him to leave all the knives behind. They had accepted that he was going to always have a least one knife on him at all times.

It had even come in handy one time in the kitchen. Alfred had requested that he hand over one of his knives when the man needed a knife to cut up some fish. He had thought that Alfred was going to take the knife away but instead, it gave Talon a warm feeling to watch the man use his knife to prepare food. Alfred cleaned it and gave it back when he was done.

Maybe Jason wasn't the only reason Talon didn't just up and leave.

"I might need you to watch my back," Jason said.

"Why? Do you think someone is after you?"

"No. I want to help Batman."

"What?" The dark shadow of the bat flew through Talon's mind and he shivered. "Why?"

Jason smiled, unknowing of Talon's recoiling. He spread his arms out and excitedly explained, "I've been on those streets which Batman tries to keep safe. I've fought on those streets. You've made me a better fighter. Now, I'm here while everyone I knew is down there. I need to do something."

"But help Batman? How?" Talon questioned.

Jason gave him a look like he should have figured it out by now. "I'm going to help him out on the streets." He bounced off the bed and grinned at Talon. "What do you think? Think I'll make a good Batboy?"

Talon's mouth opened and closed as he tried to process this. This little bird wanted to hang around in the bat's shadow? He knew the Batman was targeted by those who wished harm upon anyone in their way, like the Court. Anyone with the Batman was targeted as well.

His little bird was offering himself up as a meal.

"Gotham will chew you up and spit you out," Talon said. "This is foolish." He ignored the hurt look on Jason's face. It was the truth and the kid needed the hear it.

Pain to his face was the next thing Talon registered. Jason had thrown his book at him! Talon's mouth hung open as Jason stormed from the room. Not only was he close to tears, he had thrown a book! His Little Wing loved and respected books. He would never in his right mind throw one.

Talon needed to fix this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Bruce checked on Jason before going to bed, like he did every night. Surprisingly, Jason didn't seem to notice his late night checks. It might be because he was already under the bed and would only wake if Bruce entered the room. Talon always noticed. Bruce was used to shining blue eyes staring at him from atop the bed until he closed the door.

However, this night, there was no sign of the blue eyes. Talon wasn't atop the bed or inside the room. Bruce worried. It didn't show on his face but in his hesitation to close the door.

He hesitated long enough for Jason to grumble and came climbing out from under the bed.

"Bruce?" he questioned rubbing his eyes. He looked up from the ground but didn't move. As long as Bruce stayed by the door, he was okay with laying on the ground.

"Where's Talon?"

Jason's face twisted in anger and distaste. "Dunno. I'm not his keeper."

"I see," Bruce mused. "Goodnight then."

Jason was baffled but slipped back into the darkness of under the bed. Bruce could feel his eyes on him as he closed the door.

It would seem the boys had fought. Alfred would know what it was about. Bruce walked down to the kitchen, where Alfred usually was during this time. He found Talon in the room, eating cookies and listening to Alfred talk.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked.

"I was just talking Dick through what I do. He was rather interested."

"He works hard," Talon said. Bruce decided to not comment on how Alfred called Talon 'Dick' and instead decided to stick with why he was here.

"What happened with Jason?"

Talon went still. He placed what was left of the cookie on the table and stared at Bruce. He then impassively recounted what had happened. When he was done, he continued to stare. He didn't even blink.

Bruce had no idea what to do with this. A glance at Alfred told him that the butler expected him to deal with this young adult who had gone completely impassive.

"And... how do you feel about that?" Bruce wanted to slap himself as those words came out of his mouth. He sounded like one of those people who had talked to him after the death of his parents.

Talon mouthed 'me' with a perplexed expression and looked to Alfred. Bruce was a little relieved that Talon was moving again.

"Yes, you," Bruce confirmed.

"I... don't know. I don't get it. Why does Jason have to help you? Why does he hate me for telling him the truth?"

"Jason wants to help me. He doesn't have to," Bruce pointed out. "And he certainly doesn't hate you."

"Master Jason seems to appreciate your presence very much, Master Dick," Alfred said. "I'm sure he was just looking for your support and was upset when you rejected him instead."

Talon seemed to process that for a moment before frowning. "I don't get it. But I want to help fix it."

Alfred gave a surprised little gasp. "That explains why you came in here asking me how to 'fix' angry."

Bruce's lip twitched in amusement. It wasn't really possible to fix 'angry'. "You might have to let him be angry for a while," he said. "But, he seemed fine when I checked on him."

Talon bounced to his feet.

Alfred commented, "perhaps you should give Master Jason some sign that you support him in his endeavour to recklessly endanger himself and those around him."

Bruce pointedly didn't look at his old friend at that comment. He knew Alfred didn't approve of Batman and his mission but supported it anyway.

"You don't approve," Talon realised. "I don't approve. So why let him do it?"

"Because they're stubborn enough to do it with or without our support. At least with our support we can give them the best chance of coming home every night."

Talon thought about it. A first he was still but then he shifted his weight around so that he was rocking on the spot. He thought that Alfred was right. Jason would do this with or without him. At least Talon could make sure he was okay. Maybe he could even join him. At that thought, Talon imagined being out on the streets, going after criminals. It sent a shiver through him as it reminded him of his time with the Court.

How would he know who to chase? Maybe Jason would know? He didn't want a Wayne to tell him. That was too close to what the Court did.

One thing was for certain, Jason would need Talon out there on the streets. He paused and stared at Bruce.

"Conditions," he announced. "Jason never fights alone." Bruce nodded his agreement. "If he wants to stop, you stop."

"That's rather broad. I won't tolerate him being lax if it means he won't be able to protect himself out there."

Talon conceded that point. However, "I know when he's had enough training."

"I'll check with you when possible," Bruce agreed.

"Last condition. I go out with you both. But, I will not be your hunter. Only Jason's protection."

Alfred went still beside Talon, waiting Bruce's response. Bruce's mouth had opened slightly in surprise. Then it snapped closed.

"My condition for that is no killing."

"No killing," Talon agreed. Regardless of whether he could do it or not, it was easy enough to agree. Jason didn't like it when he killed anyway.

* * *

Talon didn't understand why Bruce followed him back to the room and waited until he was seated on the bed before leaving.

"He was worried about you," a voice said from underneath the bed. Jason. Talon lay on his belly and dropped his head over the edge of the bed. "He came in and asked where you were."

"He would do the same for you," Talon said. He had no doubt about that. If Bruce could bother with a weapon like him, then he would certainly go the extra mile for a person like Jason. "We came to an agreement."

"What about?"

"You."

Jason huffed. "I don't need you two fighting over me."

"No fighting," Talon said. He felt a flutter of something exciting in his stomach. He imagined the shock and surprise on Jason's face when he revealed what they had talked about. "I come with you two and you get to work with Batman."

Jason's eyes widened. "What? Why would you want to do that?"

Talon frowned. That was not happy like he expected. What had he done wrong? "Because you want to go with Batman but I want you safe."

"Why me?" Jason questioned quietly. "Why do you care about me?"

"You're my little bird."

"No I'm not. I'm Jason Todd. I might be adopted by Bruce Wayne. I'm going to help Batman. That's against everything you follow, Talon. I'm not a bird."

Jason didn't sound angry but this hurt more than the book had.

"You're my bird. I took you under my wing first."

"That's true. But I'm not calling myself 'Little Wing'," Jason said. Talon was confused. He was the only one who said 'Little Wing'. Jason didn't refer to himself in the third person. "And 'Batboy' sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

"What?"

"Names, Talon! I'm talking about names! Bruce goes by Batman. You go by Talon, which is kind of awesome, except for the whole 'Court of Owls' and killing thing. Since I'll be joining you both, I need a name."

Talon made a face. He didn't think going out as 'Talon' was a good idea. Jason came first though.

"Batkid? Still stupid," Jason muttered, mostly to himself. "What about Boybat?"

Talon groaned into the mattress. Terrible, terrible names.

"Hey, Talon? What's a baby bat called? If it's awesome, maybe I can go with that."

"A pup," Talon responded automatically.

"Slightly better than Boybat but I'm never letting anyone call me that. No."

"Little Pup?" Talon suggested and was rewarded with Jason's laugh.

"No, nope, never!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes:** I took some inspiration from Young Justice for this one. Some of Dick's... personality traits and also the costume the Robins wear.

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Talon looked at the costume design Alfred had placed on the table. It was based off Bruce's thoughts on what would keep Jason safe. It was grey with a splash of yellow and Talon hated it.

"No," he said, tossing a knife into the centre of the full-figure design.

Alfred's expression set as he turned to Talon. "And what colours do you suggest, Master Dick?"

"Not master," Talon responded. It was the only response Alfred could get because he couldn't think of which colours to use, only that the ones in the design were not good. Alfred had gotten skilled at working around Talon's inability to express himself. He took coloured markers out and pulled the knife out of the design.

"Pick some colours, Dick."

Talon looked over the colours, one standing out right away. He picked up the red and passed it into Alfred's waiting hand.

"Red? That could be used in any number of places," Alfred mused. "Any more colours?"

Talon mused over the pens. He liked orange but it was not a colour for a costume. Orange was better natural, not dyed into things. Blue was nice. He picked it up but put it back after a moment. Blue was not a Jason colour. Jason was warm colours. Like yellow.

Dick passed Alfred the yellow.

"Red and yellow. Add in some black and I think I have an idea," Alfred said. Talon pressed close to Alfred as the man reworked the design. "A red vest and black pants. Yellow buttons-"

"And a yellow thing!" Talon said excitedly as the colours were added.

"What kind of thing, Dick?" Alfred asked curiously. Dick moved back and made a motion over his shoulders.

"A thing! Like Batman wears!"

"A cowl?" Alfred wondered. "Over his face?"

Dick shook his head. "It goes down his back, distracting-like."

"A cape?"

"Yes! A cape!" Dick said. He felt the pull on his skin as he grinned. His expression snapped back into neutral a moment later, the joyous energy vanishing as if it had never been.

"Of course, Master Dick, a yellow cape," Alfred said, choosing not to comment on the first show of excitement from the ex-assassin. "I'll add it in now."

Talon waited a couple of moments before hesitantly moving towards Alfred. He had acted badly and expected punishment. He wondered if Alfred was waiting until he got close to punish him.

The costume looked nice now.

"I put the yellow on the inside of the cape, so the outside could still be used to help Master Jason hide in the darkness like Master Bruce," Alfred explained.

Talon stared at the no longer boring costume and smiled again. His face pulled but he thought it was a nice pull.

"I should get started on constructing it," Alfred said. "Excuse me, Master Dick, I need to get up and gather the materials."

Talon stepped back and watched Alfred get up and move around, pulling out fabric and kelvar. It looked like Talon wasn't to be punished for his outburst.

* * *

Bruce did a subtle double-take as Alfred walked in with Jason's costume in his arms and Talon shadowing behind him. The costume didn't match the plans he had created.

Jason looked up from the biology books Bruce had him reading. "Is that my costume? Looks cool!"

"Yes, it is," Alfred said. "Master Dick was very helpful in choosing the colours."

Jason looked at the costume in Alfred's hands and then to Talon. "Dick did? Thanks, man!"

"Go try it on," Bruce said. Jason didn't need to be told twice. He was off the chair, snatching the costume from Alfred's hands and in the changing rooms in moments. Once he was gone, Bruce turned to Talon and Alfred.

"Why'd the design change?"

"The design is mostly the same, Master Bruce," Alfred said, "but Master Dick made a few welcome adjustments."

Talon moved behind Alfred as if shielding himself from Bruce's wrath. Maybe Alfred hadn't punished him because it wasn't the servant's place. He glared at Alfred's back.

If the old man had put in his changes, so only Talon would get in trouble, Talon would exact his vengeance in blood.

"Good job, Dick," Bruce said with a smile. "I wasn't sure how to make the design more-"

"Fitting for a child, and not a soulless creature of the night," Alfred interrupted.

Talon's mouth dropped open at how Alfred could not only speak back to his Master but also interrupt him.

"Dick?" Bruce questioned. "Are you alright, Chum?"

Talon blinked. "Chum?" He noticed the extra colour to Bruce's cheeks but wasn't certain why it was there.

"You don't react to your name and I don't think you'd be comfortable with 'son'," Bruce explained, "but 'chum' was something my father used to say to me."

"Chum?" Talon questioned again, testing the word on his tongue. He grinned. It was something thrown to fish for food. What a funny thing to call an assassin!

Bruce's mouth dropped open and Alfred gave a little gasp as Talon cackled.

Alfred smiled behind a hand. "I don't think he minds, Master Bruce."

"-Hh- Looks like he minded a little," Bruce countered, although pleased.

Jason came running out, cape fluttering behind him with the movement, and stopped short when he spotted Talon's chuckles.

"Whoa. What happened while I was gone?" he asked.

"Nothing to worry about, Master Jason," Alfred said.

Bruce agreed. Alfred's words reminded him of something else. "We need to think of a name for you since we can't call you 'Jason' in that outfit."

Jason glared at Talon the moment Talon opened his mouth. "Not 'Little Wing'."

"'Little Bird'?" Talon suggested instead.

"No!" Jason yelled, the word bouncing off the ceilings. "Nothing using 'little'."

"Can't call you Bird," Talon said. A hazy memory came to him in answer. "Robin." A specific bird for a specific kid.

"What?" Jason questioned, wanting to hear it again. That name sounded alright.

"Robin," Talon repeated. "Little Red Robin."

Jason's cheeks puffed up in frustration. "No 'little'!" he repeated. "Just Robin!"

"Robin," Bruce tested. "Sounds alright." He looked to Alfred.

"Certainly better than any of the other... titles you boys have come up with," Alfred said. "Although, 'Batman and Robin'? Doesn't quite roll off the tongue."

"Doesn't have to," Bruce said. "In fact, better that it doesn't. Takes some effort to remember."

"Batman and Robin," Jason echoed with a grin. "Oh yeah! Let's do this!"

* * *

Talon shadowed them on their patrol. Jason was just out to observe during this night. However Jason could find himself in danger, he was very good at finding trouble, and it would be Talon's job to keep him safe. Just like it was before Bruce.

Talon touched the black fabric around his neck and brushed the kelvar armour below. An all-black suit worked well on him or so Alfred insisted. It was better than walking around screaming 'Talon' to any who saw him. Talon didn't think he would be as sloppy as to be spotted unintentionally but Alfred also said that it might be time to start distancing himself from the court.

Talon's heart kept fluttering behind his ribs, an anxious little ball which made him rethink everything.

"Hey! Hey, T!" Robin called, waving back at him. "You look different. It's good."

Talon smiled. For once Robin could see it in the city lights as Talon was wearing a mask. He looked more like a young adult than a mythical assassin to be feared.

"Nice to see you," Batman growled. Talon tilted his head, expression going impassive as he tried to figure that phrase out. Why was it nice? Was Batman planning something?

Robin shifted forward and pressed his hand to the side of his mouth so Batman couldn't lip read.

"He couldn't tell if you were following us most of the time. I think he's just glad he can see you," Robin whispered.

Talon smiled again. If it was true, it was very good to know. He could kill the Batman before the man could realise it.

Robin shoved his shoulder into Talon's side, much easier now that he didn't have to worry about the knives which were usually around his waist.

"Be nice. No killing," Robin reminded him.

Talon rolled his eyes at the antics of this kid.

"There's a robbery at the museum," Batman said to them both. "Let's go."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Talon woke late into the morning. He stretched atop the bed and then leapt away from it. A disappointed groan came from under the bed. Talon smirked at Jason. The kid had been trying to grab his ankle from under the bed in the mornings. Once again, he had failed.

Jason cheered up quickly enough since he loved breakfast. He loved all meals, especially since they started eating Alfred's cooking. Like always, Alfred had the table ready when they came down. They ate in the kitchen, unless Bruce wanted a meal in the main dining room for some reason.

Bruce was there before them. He was sitting at the bench with a newspaper opened in front of him, reading intensely.

"Jason, you start school tomorrow," he said when they took their seats.

Jason groaned into his toast. Talon was only half paying attention. He was too old for school and he was totally okay with that. It sounded boring.

"Do I have to? I don't want to go to the fancy school. All the rich snobs will look down on me."

"They might surprise you, Master Jason," Alfred said, placing a coffee in front of Bruce and an orange juice in front of Jason. Talon had water as juice and coffee made him pull bitter faces.

"I doubt it."

"Enjoy today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow," Alfred said. "After all, Mister Kent will be visiting today."

Bruce growled under his breath. Talon now gave the conversation his full attention with blue and red flying through his mind.

"That's Clark Kent, Kal-El, Superman, right?" Jason said.

"Best way to take down?" Bruce asked.

"Kryptonite," Jason responded. "But he also has a weakness to magic."

Bruce nodded into his newspaper. Talon proudly ruffled Jason's hair. He approved of Bruce teaching the boy to protect himself, even against perceived allies.

* * *

Clark landed on the doorstep in a button-up blue plaid shirt and jeans. His hair was a mess and his glasses slipped down his nose every few seconds. Talon watched him curiously from the chandelier. Clark was comfortable in his meek role. If Talon didn't know that he was Superman, he would have passed the man off as a mild risk to an assassination. Clark was a big man, even if he attempted to hide it through his bad posture.

"What are you thinking Bruce?" Clark questioned the moment he was inside. "Letting a boy out to fight crime?"

"He's protected, probably more than any of us," Bruce said, not letting the alien, super-human intimidate him.

"How? Because you're with him? That's hardly helpful. The League is not happy."

"So? Maybe it's good for those happy-go-lucky fools to be disturbed for once," Bruce responded.

Jason laughed from the next room over and poked his head around the door. "Alfred would not be happy to hear you talking like that, Bruce."

Clark's eyes softened when he spotted Jason. "Hello. Jason, right?"

"Yep." Jason walked into the room and right up to Clark. He stood there with his arms crossed, looking right up into Clark's face and silently challenging him. "And you're part of the group who thinks they can stop me from doing what needs to be done."

Clark blinked and looked between Bruce and Jason.

"Have you got him copying you now?" he asked Bruce. He had to admit, the proud papa smile on Bruce's face was a good thing. However, putting a child in danger was not.

"Nope. That's all him."

Clark looked to Jason. "You know this is dangerous right? You could die?"

Jason shrugged. "Of course. But I could have died any day of the week down in Crime Alley. It wasn't like I had shelter or food. But T wouldn't have let that happen."

"T? Who's T?"

* * *

"T is the other young man I've taken in," Bruce said. "His name is Dick and he's very attached to Jason."

"He won't let anything happen to me!" Jason said.

Clark frowned. "There was no mention of this in the news."

"It was a small footnote. A person who is an adult in the eyes of the law doesn't garner the same attraction as a young boy from the streets," Bruce said. It was an almost-lie. Jason played up the 'cute kid adopted by rich billionaire' in order to overshadow the other adoption form submitted at the same time. Not many reporters gave the dark, intense young man that was Talon a second glace.

Unless they were glancing at his behind. Which Bruce wasn't too pleased about.

"And you say he protects you?" Clark said to Jason. Bruce marked that as a point for the reporter/superhero. At least he didn't ignore Jason and talk to Bruce when he wanted to know something. "That means he goes on patrol with you."

Jason nodded. "Although he doesn't have a name or costume yet."

"He has a costume," Bruce said.

Giving him a flat stare, Jason said, "it's all black. It'll be a costume when T puts some colour on it."

"I'd rather he didn't," Bruce muttered under his breath. Clark gave him a curious look while Jason laughed.

"T took some colours to the Batman armour schematics and created a rainbow masterpiece!"

"Monstrosity," Bruce corrected.

"It was a rainbow Batsuit and it was the best," Jason informed Clark. "Alfred totally made it a thing and put it down in the cave."

"Master Dick worked really hard on making sure it all worked together," Alfred said. "I believe he deserved to see his plans made reality."

Clark didn't know what to make of this. Bruce seemed really happy, despite all his grumbling. Alfred was more relaxed than Clark remembered ever seeing him. Jason was a happy kid and apparently there was another one.

"I came to voice the League's concerns about Jason, at the very least," he said. He looked at the kid. "This is not something a kid should be doing but I hope you stay safe." Turning back to Bruce, he asked, "and could I meet Dick too? I should get an impression of the young man to take back to the League."

* * *

Bruce took Clark to the sitting room while Jason waited at the door. Jason claimed that he would go get Dick but it was really up to Talon.

"So? Do you want to meet him?" Jason asked the air. He had a feeling Talon had been watching.

Talon slipped down to the ground behind him and wrapped his arms around the boy. Jason squirmed but knew that Talon didn't mean any harm. He liked the warmth people's bodies gave off. His own body was colder than average.

"Do you think he'll take me into the sky?" Talon asked with a wistful note to his voice.

Jason decided that if Superman didn't, he would raid the kryptonite supply.

"He'll call you Dick. You know Bruce won't tell him about the Talon thing unless you want."

Talon sighed. He didn't like the idea of being called 'Dick' by a stranger but he also didn't like the idea of telling Superman that he used to be an assassin. The later won out for now.

"I want him to know."

Jason fiddled with his shirt but walked towards where Bruce and Clark had gone, Talon following behind him.

* * *

Whatever Clark had been expecting, it hadn't been this. Dick stood in the doorway, looming behind Jason. His hair was dark and wild, his eyes piercing but his stance was loose and relaxed. He could be considered attractive if there wasn't something unsettling about the boy. Perhaps it was his skin, which was as pale as a ghost.

"Hello," he said, standing up and reaching out a hand. "I'm Clark Kent, although I suppose you know that."

Dick nodded. "Superman," he said, taking the hand and shaking it. Surprisingly, Clark felt a slight sting. Dick was stronger than the average human.

"If you don't mind me asking, where did you come from?" Bruce had told Clark about Dick's past in the circus, which had ended at 9 years old when he parents had died. However, this man was a young adult. What had happened those missing years?

"I was Talon. I belonged to the Court of Owls and they would send me out to kill targets."

Bruce nodded, telling Clark that this was the truth.

"Don't worry," Bruce said darkly, "I already dealt with them. Dick is a welcome member of this household as well as a skilled fighter and protector."

Clark looked at the ex-assassin. Dick stared back. Moments passed in silence before the young man asked, as earnest as any kid meeting Superman for the first time, "would you take me flying?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes:** Happy New Year!

Also... I may have only realised when I went to edit that... editing on New Year's Eve while drinking was probably not the smartest thing to do. Blame any errors on the alcohol? Or, better yet, blame the errors on quick editing as family are not impressed with the laptop at the table.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"How about a trip to Metropolis?" Bruce commented at breakfast one day. Jason frowned at him while Dick tensed.

"Why?" Jason asked.

"Does this have something to do with Luthor?" Dick questioned. Everyone had been pleasantly surprised that Dick had taken to detective work well. He wasn't quite up to Jason's level as Jason had an innate sense of how crimes happened based on personal experience and gossip he learnt growing up but he had still picked up information well. He proved every day that he was more than a mindless killing machine and, although it made Bruce tremble with anger when he thought of the Court, it made Bruce proud that this young man was under his tutelage.

"Probably. Luthor's looking to get a foothold in Gotham and someone's harassing and spying on Wayne employees," Jason commented.

Both boys made him so proud.

"Are we going to get to punch Luthor in the face?" Jason added. Dick grinned at thought.

"We'll leave the punching to Clark, I think," Bruce commented. "We will be giving Luthor something else to think about. Alfred?"

Alfred gave Bruce a sideways glance which stung of disapproval and silently insulted Bruce as a coward. Or maybe Bruce was reading too much into it since he was getting Alfred to give the boys the bad news.

"Wayne Enterprises is holding a Gala. Luthor has been invited and RSVP that he will be there. Your attendance is required."

Jason groaned and slumped against the table. "Nooo," he moaned.

Dick frowned.

"No, Dick. You don't get out of this one," Bruce said. "Not unless you can come up with some grand reason why you can't go. I would like you to experience different things and Jason will need someone with him during this. Sadly, I often get pulled away by," Bruce shuddered a little. "Forceful women."

"Just take Catwoman and save us the trouble," Jason muttered into his arms.

"What was that?" Bruce questioned. They couldn't tell if he had heard Jason's comment or not.

"Nothing," Jason muttered, acting the petulant teenager he was.

* * *

Dick had loved flying. It had helped that they had taken the private jet and they were the only people aside from the pilots. He didn't have to deal with people and he got to fly. It didn't compare to Superman pulling him up into the sky but it was still pretty cool.

Jason looked a little green as they took off. He spent most of the flight reading his way through the Odyssey and Iliad.

Bruce spent it going over work. He closed his eyes and numbers and requests floated before his eyes.

Alfred helped Dick into the pilots' area and he spent most of the flight asking questions and talking to them. Dick used the conversational skills which Alfred had taught him and it seemed to work. He had learnt that the pilots were named James and Thomas. That Thomas was married with two daughters and James was dating a nice guy in Metropolis. James was using the trip as an excuse to see them.

Dick learnt that flying this way was both simple and complicated. The computer did a lot of the work but the pilots had to know what everything did and what all the information the computer gave them meant.

Dick still preferred his form of flying. But this was cool too.

Shortly before they landed, Alfred hurried them all to change and get ready. They would be going straight from the plane to the Gala.

* * *

The people at the Gala were not as interesting as the pilots. Most of them were the kind of rich people that made Jason want to hit things and Dick feel lightheaded as the Talon side of him stirred.

"This is boring," Jason said as he reached up to grab a glass of champagne. Dick took it from his fingers and slipped it onto another passing waiter's tray. "Seriously? It's not going to hurt me."

"You're still a child."

"Teenager," Jason countered with a frown.

"You're smarter than this. No alcohol," Dick said, pushing Jason towards a group of people. He was better at the social aspect than Dick was.

Someone clapped from behind them. Dick tensed as he had not sensed another presence aside from the person at the buffet table to the side of them. He turned and came face to face with Luthor.

"Richard Grayson, isn't it?"

Dick nodded, a small frown on his face. Luthor held out his other hand for him to shake.

"I'm Lex Luthor. You're one of Bruce Wayne's adopted kids, right?" He laughed. "Although you're not a kid."

"I'm not," Dick confirmed. He was careful to keep his hand loose and not crush Luthor's bones.

"So, care to share why Bruce took you in as well as the kid? Looking for an in-house babysitter, maybe?" Luthor nodded in Jason's direction.

Jason was currently trying to extract himself from the group of ladies who now wished to dance with him. He had noticed that Dick was talking with Luthor and he wanted in. Dick could hear his clipped and frustrated tone from here. Alfred would be proud though, Jason still remembered to be polite in the words he directed towards the ladies.

"Jason and I knew each other before," Dick answered honestly. "Jason didn't want to leave me behind. We are like family."

Luthor nodded and smiled. "How lovely. I'm sure you must be happy, not losing the family you have. And do you have plans for the future, Mr Grayson? College maybe?"

Dick paused. He knew that Jason started school soon but there were no plans currently in place for him. He knew Bruce wanted him to get his GSE, whatever that was, but he hadn't really thought about it until now. Going out and fighting crime was his plan for the near and far future.

"Or maybe Bruce is going to get you a job at the company?"

"I... I don't know," he admitted. Was that an option? Could he work?

Luthor raised an eyebrow. He was putting pieces together and the best picture he could come up with was that Dick was a little slow and that Wayne had probably taken him in to be the boy's attendant. He had already gained access to Jason's results, discovering that the street brat had a sharp brain. It made sense that Wayne would want someone with that kid's potential. Wayne probably thought keeping Dick not only gave the boy an attendant but also allowed him to endear himself to and control the child.

"Well, this has been a lovely chat," Luthor said, raising his glass to Dick. "But I see a lovely Duchess over there who would probably like a dance."

Dick watched him go, Jason finally managing to get over the moment Luthor entered the crowd.

"Seriously?" he grumbled with a huff. He looked up at Dick. "What did he talk to you about?"

Dick frowned and tapped his chin in a thoughtful manner he had often seen on the TV.

"He was fishing for information," he said. "He now knows that we knew each other before Bruce and he probably has a theory on why Bruce took me in but I don't think he sees me as a threat."

"That's a mistake," Jason said.

"He sees Bruce as a threat though. Otherwise he would not be trying to get this information out of me, he would have gone straight to Bruce." Dick felt a chill as he realised something else. "He considers you a threat."

"Me?"

"Has he approached you?"

"No."

"Same as Bruce then. Luthor might be testing us."

Jason didn't like the sound of that.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Bruce didn't like the idea that Luthor was testing them either. They gathered in the hotel after the party, exhausted after a night of entertaining guests. Dick leaned against the wall while Jason lay on the bed, dangling his feet over the edge. Bruce sat at the suite table.

"Luthor only approached Dick and didn't ask myself or Jason any questions even though I approached him twice over the course of the night."

Dick nodded.

"If Lex Luthor was just fishing for information, then he would have at least attempted to extract information from Jason or myself. The most likely explanation for his actions is that he was testing us. Theories on what and why, boys."

"He only went for Dick so it's possible that he was looking into him. Perhaps he was feeling out whether Dick could be tricked or turned to working for him."

"I wasn't a threat," Dick pointed out, for the second time that night. "Jason is your young, adoptive child. Bully a child and you are a bad guy. He may consider Bruce to be stupid but Bruce also has the power to make his life a little more difficult. I have none of that power. I am also not a child. Bullying me doesn't hurt his image nor would he expect people to take my side over his. It is possible that goal overlapped with a goal of seeing whether I could be turned to his side. My uncertainty in my future might have worked against that though."

"You can't bring someone to your side if they don't have anything they want," Bruce mused, although he didn't sound pleased and he eyed Dick like he had done something wrong.

"It's also possible that Lex has a plan," Jason said. "And that our actions won't affect it."

Bruce threaded his fingers together and leaned his chin against them in thought.

"I think he has an idea," Jason stage-whispered to Dick. Dick nodded, wondering what plan Bruce had for dealing with this unknown element.

"Alfred, get Clark on the phone. I think the Daily Planet will get that exclusive with our family they want."

* * *

Dick watched Clark from the hidden camera he had set up outside the door. Dick had squirreled himself away in the kitchen. It wasn't that he was scared of Superman, like Jason had jokingly suggested. After all, Dick had loved being in the air with Superman. It was that Clark reminded him of the echoes of people long gone. He was happy, kind and bright. Superman was a valued hero and even Batman valued his opinion, no matter how often he insulted the man in blue, red and yellow.

Dick liked watching that. However, Dick was a shadow in the night who took lives away and Clark knew that.

Alfred knew about the habit Dick had watching Superman on the news and whatever other footage he could get. If Dick had been Jason's age, Alfred was certain that he would have been buying Superman sheets and toys. Dick had limited himself to just Superman tee-shirts, something which bothered Bruce and made Jason cackle with glee. It had annoyed Bruce so much that Jason decided he would get shirts with the symbol of his favourite Justice League member on them; Wonder Woman.

"Are you going to say hello?" Alfred asked Dick.

Dick shook his head. On screen, Bruce and Clark spoke to each other. Dick didn't need to read their lips to know what they were talking about. Bruce's plan was simple. He needed to either distract Luthor, anger him or both until Luthor made a mistake.

Superman would get Luthor's attention by just exchanging a couple of words with him, either in or outside his office. Then, using information Bruce was going to get, Superman would interrupt one of Luthor's operations in Metropolis. It would be enough to distract Luthor from Gotham or cause him to mess up and possibly reveal his plans.

"It's Luthor," Clark countered. "You can't possibly think this'll be enough."

"I'm Batman," Bruce reminded him. Dick liked to imagine him saying it in the growling voice he used on criminals he wanted information from. "It's enough."

Clark took a deep breath.

Dick wanted to tell him that the simplest plans could be the most effective. This would work because no one had used Superman as a weapon against Luthor before. But Clark wouldn't hear him through the screen.

Clark tilted his head, as if listening to something far away. Then he smiled and told Bruce he would be back in a moment.

Dick frowned. He hadn't heard anything. He looked around the apartment, using other cameras. But there was nothing there.

"Does Bruce know you have the place wired with cameras?"

Adrenaline rushed through Dick and he grabbed the knife on the bench and flung it behind him. He didn't aim for vital spots, telling himself that an alive captive to question was better than a dead one. It was something he and Alfred had been working on. Alfred seemed to understand his thought process well enough to help him find ways around his killing instinct.

"Whoa!" The knife bounced harmlessly off Clark's thigh, cutting his slacks. "Sorry I startled you."

Dick's mouth dropped open. He had attacked Clark!

"Dick?" Clark questioned. He had more sense than to wave his hand in front of the ex-assassin's face. He just waited for Dick to process. "It's okay. I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

Dick stiffened a little. It was his fault and Clark was apologising? He looked Clark right in the eyes, because the Court liked to look you in the face as they punished you. "I threw a knife at you," he said. He pulled a knife out of his boot and pressed it into Clark's hand.

"Dick," Clark said slowly, holding the knife loosely but not letting it drop. He probably knew that Dick would just give him another. "What do you expect me to do with this?"

"Punishment. I attacked you. I should not have."

Clark frowned, thinking. Then he pulled a stool away from the bench and sat so he was facing Dick. He pulled at the hole in his slacks, drawing attention to the unbroken skin. "See, Dick? I'm fine. You didn't hurt me. Why should I hurt you if you didn't hurt me? I am not going to punish you. I won't punish anyone for an accident and I never use violence as a punishment."

"You punch bad guys."

"In self-defence," Clark explained. "I almost always give them a chance to explain or give up first. The times I don't are usually because they're already hurting people. I choose to protect those people who had little choice in their circumstances."

"I don't get it," Dick said, frowning.

"That's okay," Clark said with a smile. He slowly dropped the knife to the floor. "It's like you and Jason. Even though Jason could take care of himself and you didn't have to protect Jason or fight to keep Jason safe, you did." Dick nodded. "I'm like that with everyone. I want to keep everyone I can safe. I want to protect them all." Clark chuckled. "Perhaps I'm a little greedy and foolish."

"You're not!" Dick countered. Clark wasn't greedy or foolish! The Court was. Many of the people at the gala were. Luthor was. Bruce could be at times, especially when Gotham was involved. But Clark wasn't.

"Maybe you understand a little better now?" Clark said. "So, what's there to eat in this kitchen? Has Alfred made any cookies?"

"Nope," Dick responded. He grabbed his cereal box. "Only cereal." Bruce had them eating out or calling for room service on this trip. Dick had brought his cereal from home as a snack. Jason had lined his travel bag with the same treats he hid around the manor.

"Good enough," Clark said. "Can I have a bowl?"

* * *

Dick followed Clark back out into the main room of the hotel suite. Bruce was hunched over his laptop, looking for something of Luthor's which didn't seem right. It wasn't difficult but he did need something which could be shut down by Superman's appearance and posed the least risk running without monitoring in the time it would take them to track down any future replacement operations.

Jason was reading on the couch, where he had been the whole time. He raised an eyebrow at their appearance, before returning to his book like nothing was wrong.

"Did I ever tell you boys about the time Bruce threw a batarang at me?" Clark asked.

Jason put the book down. This sounded like the kind of story he could tease Bruce with for all time. "No."

"It started with a bet. See, Flash set a challenge to the Justice League to sneak up on Batman…" what followed was a story involving Flash being knocked into a wall, Green Lantern following Batman for twenty minutes and pulling faces while Batman filmed it and then showed everyone and Wonder Woman watching everything unfold with interest.

It took a week but, Superman completed the challenge by sneaking up on Batman while he was in the Batcave, using the same techniques he had accidentally startled Dick with earlier. Batman's response was to swing his chair and stab a batarang into Clark's thigh, shattering the batarang and cutting through Batman's glove and hand.

Dick listened to every word of Clark's story.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Dick waited atop a building in his all-black uniform. Across the street, he had a view of the outside of Lex Corp. A limo had pulled up and Lex Luthor was due out of the building any moment now.

Phase one of the plan was about to begin. Dick wasn't really supposed to be here but Lex bothered him, possibly because Dick had been the only one to actually speak with the businessman at the gala.

Superman dropped down from the sky with his arms crossed over his chest and a serious frown on his face. He made an imposing figure and it caused people to move away from the two, giving space around them for an almost private conversation.

Lex didn't seem affected by the imposing aura Superman was putting out. He just mirrored Superman's stance with an annoyed frown.

"What do you want?" Lex demanded to know.

Dick's earpiece crackled as another person started broadcasting. Bruce and Alfred had told him to always wear it when out in costume. At first, he purposely 'forgot' to wear it because he knew it could be used to track him. It wasn't until Alfred informed him that he and Bruce needed to be able to contact him in case something happened to Jason that Dick started wearing it.

"Robin?" he asked. It was his go-to response to know if Jason was okay.

"He's fine. We have ad an idea," Bruce said. "You're watching Superman and Luthor aren't you?"

Dick was silent. Bruce had asked him to stay away and that Superman could do this without them looking over his shoulder. However, Dick found himself drawn to the brightness of the other hero. He wanted to know how Superman worked.

Bruce continued as if he has spoken, "I want you to take some pictures of Superman and Luthor." He explained how that camera on Dick's phone worked, although Dick had figured that out ages ago and filled his phone with images of random things like birds, rocks and Gotham roof tops.

"What are these pictures for?" he asked as he snapped a couple from a nearby alley. Bruce had already explained that they needed to look like a passer-by took them.

"We're going to put extra pressure on Luthor by putting some images of this and articles basically implying that he must be up to something wrong if Superman is confronting him outside his building into some gossip rags and up online."

Dick wondered if that would work. He was interested in seeing the effect though. Although he was keeping his composure, Luthor was frowning. His hands had moved a little above his sides and, while he didn't clench them, they looked ready to counter any attack Superman might throw. Most people would have described it as an 'explaining' posture. Dick just took notice of how it outlined a hidden gun holstered at his side.

"I have the pictures," Dick said into the comm, leaping back onto the roof. "Do you want me back now?"

"Whenever you're ready. As long as I have those pictures by midnight," Bruce said.

* * *

Dick supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when Superman flew over to the rooftop where he was standing.

"Finished with Lex?" Dick asked lightly. He was giving Superman some benefit of doubt since, while he expected Superman to be angry or punish him, Superman seemed to do the unexpected.

"I am." Neither Superman's words nor his expression gave away how he was feeling. Dick shifted some of his weight back in case he needed to fight. Seeing that, Superman sighed. "Sorry. Talking to Lex always gets me frustrated. How about we get something to eat and I tell you some more stories? What would you like to hear about?"

Dick shrugged.

"Maybe you'd like to hear about growing up on the farm? Although Lois always says that Clark's 'farm boy stories' have little place in the big city. Despite that, she likes them. I think. She reacts similarly to the stories Superman tells her about Krypton."

"Krypton?"

"Where I came from. I might have grown up on Earth but I was born on another planet."

Dick wanted to know more about that. For... strategic reasons.

"Could you tell me about that?"

Superman laughed as he agreed, comparing Dick to Lois. Dick didn't know this 'Lois' and, if she was being compared to him, he kind of didn't want to.

* * *

Jason was grinning at Dick when Dick slipped back into the suite. There was no sign of Bruce. Dick pulled out his phone and placed it on the table.

"Bruce is out for half an hour or so," Jason said. "Something about the office going into meltdown. Not literally though. I think they just heard he was here and hadn't dropped in yet so someone put the pressure on for him to go in."

"Alfred?"

"Went with him."

Dick frowned at the thought of Jason being alone. Jason grinned and closed his laptop.

"Want to order room service?" Even though they were staying at a hotel, Alfred had still been cooking all their meals.

"Room service?" Dick questioned walking over and sitting next to Jason. Jason had pulled out a menu and had grabbed the phone off its hook.

"Yep. We can order whatever we want." Jason went through the menu, reading out the names of things which appealed to him. Dick felt a little nauseous at the thought of so much food but it made Jason happy.

"Have you decided?" Dick asked.

"No. Maybe I could order all of it?" Jason sounded hesitant about that. He didn't like wasting food.

They went back and forth, talking about different items until Jason just gave up and ordered a burger and fries for the both of them. Once the orders had been placed, Jason asked for the photos Dick had taken. Bruce had already worked with Jason to write up the articles. They just needed the photos. Dick handed over his phone and Jason did something with it to get the photos off.

Dick didn't really pay attention beyond making sure the photos he had taken were workable. Finally, when he had enough of being bored and he was certain Jason was finished with whatever he was doing for the plan, Dick tossed a pillow at the back of Jason's head.

"If that had been a knife, you would have been dead," Dick said smugly. He adjusted his position slightly as Jason tossed the pillow back. It sailed right past his head. Jason took it as a challenge and Bruce returned back to find the two tossing pillows and cushions at each other.

* * *

Bruce was paying attention to what Lex Luthor was looking into by monitoring certain things. There were only a couple of channels for getting kryponite and he had set triggers in all of them.

Dick had taken to following Luthor, in case they missed something. Bruce couldn't stop him because he was technically an adult.

Even though Luthor seem frustrated, it took three days before something pinged on their radar.

"He actually fell for it!" Jason said in surprise when Bruce told them the news. One of his informants said that someone from Lex Corp was purchasing kryptonite.

"And we have his accounts," Bruce informed them. The accounts had come from the informant as well. Bruce, or Batman, would be supplying him with a non-radioactive element like kryptonite but without the properties which hurt Superman. While Luthor would eventually realise he had been supplied with a forgery, the informant would be miles away and under Batman's protection. Besides, that was the risk when dealing with shady businessmen. "Now we can see what kind of purchases he has been making, especially in Gotham."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Although some progress had been made, Bruce's mood turned sour. Dick wondered if he had missed something but even Jason didn't get it. Alfred explained it as work making Bruce tense. They figured Bruce would get over it and things would return to normal in a couple of days.

Instead, not even a day after his strange change, Bruce sat him down to talk to him.

"Lex Luthor has contacted me," he said. Dick wondered why Bruce was telling him. Bruce sighed like there was a heavy weight on his shoulders. Dick's stare, which seemed to go through him, didn't help. "He wants to meet with you."

"Me?" Dick questioned.

"Yes, he specifically asked for you. He wants to negotiate something which he believes is in Gotham's best interests."

Dick's eyebrows furrowed as he thought about that. "But, why me? I have no control over any of your business." He had even told Luthor as much.

"Perhaps he is using you to convince me. If you're convinced that he's right, you'll bug me until I give in."

"Wouldn't Jason make more sense in that scenario?"

"Except Jason has a protector," Bruce pointed out. It didn't take much to realise that Bruce meant him. "Lex has probably figured out that any attempt to get to me through Jason won't work because you'll intercept it."

Dick nodded. That was true. Luthor wanted to meet with him. "I'll do it."

For some reason, Bruce was just as 'tense' as before. Dick had been hoping to alleviate that a little.

* * *

Lex arranged the meeting at a local cafe. It was a small, two story building in the city with a balcony overlooking the street on the upper floor. Dick didn't like the idea of walking past that balcony to get inside but he was not allowed to arrive via rooftop.

Walking in sent chills up his spine. He already knew Lex was here and had watched him enter.

"Mr Grayson," he greeted with a flourish towards the other seat. "Come in, sit down. I trust you like tea."

"I prefer coffee," Dick said as he took the seat across from Lex.

"Good, good," Lex pointed to the cup sitting before him. Dick frowned when he saw the dark liquid.

Coffee. Dick had been manipulated. His opinion of the man went down, even as he grew more wary.

"Why did you want to meet?" Dick demanded to know.

Lex frowned a little. "You are aware that this is a working lunch, yes? My company is paying for everything." He passed Dick a menu.

Dick held the menu without opening it and stared at Lex. He knew his stare unnerved people. He didn't need to blink often and he had a way of looking through people because he didn't focus on them. Or anything really.

Lex just ignored him, ordering a fancy sounding sandwich for lunch while Dick sat there like a stone. He didn't even seem to care that Dick hadn't ordered anything.

"My proposition to you is simple," Lex said. "You possess skills which are not surprising in one coming from Gotham but are also wasted with 'Brucie' Wayne. I would not drag you to other cities on business trips you don't care about or to parties you don't enjoy." Dick tilted his head curiously. He added flatly, "I'm offering you a job, Mr Grayson."

"A... what?"

Lex took a sip of water to hide the momentary look of annoyance which crossed his face. "A job. In security. You would work exclusively for me. I will be honest, it's a tough job but one I think you will enjoy. And you would have to move here but it's not like you can't call your 'family'. Phones are a thing you know." Dick's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Was this really what Lex Luthor wanted? "If it helps seal the deal, I could help you create some emancipation documents for Jason and he could come with you."

Dick declined the offer, his hand tightening around the knife present on the table.

"I see," Lex said. "Well then, you might as well order and eat up! My company is paying after all."

"You've already said that."

"And yet, you have not ordered."

"I'm not hungry." Dick stood up. Alfred had told him that it was rude to leave in the middle of a meal but he wasn't eating. Besides, Dick was certain Alfred would consider it ruder if he stabbed the other person at the table.

* * *

When Dick informed Bruce of what had happened, Jason was surprised.

"You should have at least ordered something," he said, "after all, Luthor was paying."

"That's what he was saying," Dick responded, feeling a flash of irritation. "He was toying with me."

"Dick," Bruce started to say. Dick shook his head. He had recounted everything he needed to and now he just wanted to move. To do something. He grabbed the sports bag which held his knives and gym equipment and walked out to kill a couple of hours in the hotel gym. It wasn't as good as the one at home and didn't have a trapeze but it was good enough right now.

* * *

For once, Dick's mind wasn't on Jason as he suited up and started jumping across rooftops. It was still playing over lunch. It was a waste of his time. Luthor presumed to know him. Dick was 'not surprising' and yet someone Luthor wanted working for him? Why was him working with Luthor in 'Gotham's best interests'?

Luthor made his skin crawl in a way it hadn't in a while. It was the same edge Bruce used to give him back when they first met but worse. Because, unlike Bruce, Luthor seemed to have the notion that the world should do as he wished or he would make it.

Without thinking, Dick had made his way to the carpark outside Lex Corp. He dropped down into a space and looked around to get his bearings.

A shot rang out. Old Talon instincts were the only reason Dick managed to move in time, the bullet lodging in his shoulder and disabling his arm.

He cursed, pulling a couple of knives free. The bullet had come from his side. There was a green car parked a couple of meters away. The sniper was pulling his gun from the hood and packing it quickly.

Talon growled and pounced. He reached the car in moments, vaulted across the hood and knocked the sniper to the ground with his good arm pressing against the man's neck.

"Stupid!" he hissed, right into the unshaven man's face. "If you miss, you leave the gun and bolt. You shouldn't give anyone the chance to catch you." For a moment, there was an urge to take his teeth to the man's neck and tear out his throat.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," a voice said from the edge of the carpark. It was an open carpark and the owner of the voice floated onto the ground.

Talon shifted into a position would allow him to grab his knife easily but the man stopped before he could get into strike range.

"Want to tell me why a sniper is hiding out in the carpark of Lex Corp?"

"You've got to be kidding me," the sniper hissed, voice wavering a little. "This guy is ready to tear out my throat and you're questioning me?"

"You did shoot him. And he hasn't torn your throat out. He's barely hurt you. So, why are you here?"

"I was looking for a place to smoke!"

"You always smoke with your gun?" Superman picked up the sniper rifle and bent it.

Dick's mouth dropped open at the display of strength.

"Ever heard of a 'smoking gun'?" the sniper quipped. It seemed that he was feeling a little bolder since Superman wouldn't let him get killed.

"A smoking gun? A piece of incontrovertible incriminating evidence? I do believe I'm looking at one," he responded with a shrug.

"Convenient," Dick muttered under his breath.

"The goal was probably for one of you to die," Superman said to him. "You're lucky Batman called me the moment you went missing."

Dick clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Are you really telling me you wouldn't have killed him given another moment?"

That caused Dick to look away. Superman was right and hearing him say it so bluntly felt like being shoved into a pool. Cold and unpleasant but it would wake you up.

"Come on," Superman said. "Let's see if the police can find out who hired this guy. I have a feeling it starts with 'Lex' and ends with 'Luthor'."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

Bruce slid open the door to the walk-in wardrobe. It was a large space and the shadows were dark. Even so, Bruce didn't flick the light on. This was the only place he had left to search and Alfred insisted that Dick hadn't left the apartment.

"Dick?" Bruce questioned, stepping in. He kept the door open. His heart thudded in his chest. Clark had told him what had happened that morning before sunrise. Bruce knew that Luthor had riled his son up in an attempt to get him to go after him and give the sniper the opportunity he needed to kill Dick.

Not that Luthor could be charged. While not a complete professional, the sniper at least knew to keep everything anonymous. He had no idea who had hired him.

Dick watched as Bruce entered, tense and with a tight frown. Bruce's eyes scanned the room but didn't find him. It was nice to be able to hide even from the Batman's trained senses.

"Please Dick, just let me know if you're in here."

Dick contemplated not saying a thing and letting Bruce leave or do whatever he was planning to draw him out. He closed his eyes and imagined that for a moment before imagining what Superman would do.

Taking a deep breath. Dick stood up and slipped out from behind some coats.

"Hey," he said awkwardly.

Bruce breathed a sigh of relief and placed a hand on his good shoulder. "I'm glad you're okay."

Dick glanced over at his bandaged shoulder. It was almost healed. He did heal quicker than a regular human although not as fast as a full talon. He probably wouldn't be able to come back from the dead but he wasn't going to test that.

"I'll be fine."

"Yes, and that is why you are hiding in the closet and haven't even let Jason see that you're okay," Bruce said, channelling Alfred as he spoke.

"I don't want to see anyone."

Bruce didn't seem to get the hint because he sat down and motioned for Dick to sit down next to him.

"I know I'm not as good at talking to people as Clark but we probably should talk, Chum."

Dick sighed and slipped down to the floor across from Bruce, instead of the space Bruce had indicated. He stared at his guardian and waited for him to talk. Bruce waited to see if Dick would share. They sat there for almost 10 minutes before Bruce decided that Dick wasn't going to share without prompting.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, recalling some advice Clark had given him. No matter what Clark had said to ask, the question still felt awkward. Bruce was surprised when Dick answered.

"I walked right into a trap," Dick grumbled in frustration, pulling his knees in close and resting his chin on them. "Luthor manipulated me into walking into a trap."

"He knew if he frustrated you enough, you would go after him without caution," Bruce said. "The same strategy we were using on him."

"Great. So he knew and turned it back on us?"

"No. It's possible Lex and I just think alike."

"You're nothing alike." The statement would have been yelled, had Dick not been raised to be silent as a young teen.

"We have some similarities, Dick. At the very least, we are both very rich and manipulate others. Although if we were completely similar, then you would have killed me long ago."

Dick flinched at the accusation. "I wouldn't now. Even if you were like him." He was surprised when Bruce smiled at him.

"Glad to hear it. There's something else we need to talk about." Dick gave him a confused look and Bruce pulled out the newspaper and passed it to him. "Have a look on page 33. Remember when I said Lex was using the same strategy?"

On page 33 was a picture of him and Luthor at the café, along with a headline and story proclaiming his defection from Wayne Enterprises to Lex Corp.

"I don't even work for you," Dick muttered, scrunching it up and curling back up.

"It's okay. I've got people looking into it. At the very least, we'll be making a statement that you are an independent person under my care and not an employee of the company and that you are free to make your own choices."

"What now?" Dick asked.

"What do you want to do?" Bruce asked in an annoyingly frustrating, almost-parent like way.

"I want to punch Luthor in the face but I don't think I'll be able to do that."

"It could be arranged."

* * *

With Superman's help, Robin and black costumed Dick were flown up to the top of Lex Corp's main building.

"I know that Luthor's floor is somewhere below here," he said as he dropped them off. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"Superman isn't the stealthiest of appearances," Robin said with a wide grin. No doubt he realised that his own uniform sported similar bright colours and he was just messing with the other hero. "And you know that every floor is below us? You couldn't narrow it down a little?"

"The building is lined in lead," Superman pointed out. He wasn't able to see through the walls to find Luthor's office.

"B's orders are for us two to do this. But we'll let you know if we need a smashed way out," T said. Bruce had also told them which floor to go to. He had called Lex's Corp's offices in order to make an appointment to see him and 'show solidarity after the terrible news reports'. During the phone call, he had also asked which floor Luthor's office was on. The helpful receptionist had given him the number of a floor a couple flights below the roof.

Superman nodded, told them that he worried but was sure they'd be fine and then left to patrol.

"It's about time we got do to something fun," Robin said once Superman was gone. He liked this plan.

Dick shook his head as a fond feeling warmed his chest. Robin was small and scrappy but he was ready to tear into those bigger than him with a determination Dick had possessed in years.

"It's a little less, 'smash things' as it is 'break and entry'," he pointed out.

"Shush, T. Not everyone gets to sneak out whenever they want."

Thank goodness, Dick thought. Alfred paid attention to where Jason went and what he was doing, keeping the little bird out of trouble. It saved them all a lot of worry.

* * *

Dick picked the lock to the roof and let himself and Robin in.

"Okay, so now we just have to find our way to Luthor's office."

"And avoid the elevators because they have cameras."

"How about you just use the jammer?" Dick suggested. Robin's eyes widened in realisation and he pulled out the little device Bruce and Alfred had cobbled together to cause cameras around them to static. They still attempted to avoid them though, just in case.

Nothing happened as they took the stairs down to the floor Luthor's office was on. The floor was quiet, everyone having gone home for the night.

Dick popped his head into one of the offices. "You try that computer," he said to Robin.

Jason sighed but agreed. He slipped in and started up the computer. They had USBs which would copy over information without much effort on their part. Plus they had the password to Luthor's computer, thanks to Clark. He had talked a colleague into emailing Luthor a copy of the article they were going to run about his confrontation with Superman. He had zipped the file attachment because it contained extra files like photos, witness statements and all the information which hadn't made the cut for the article. Officially, they were seeking a comment from Luthor. Unofficially, hidden away in those files were a couple of broken ones to hide the mixed in key logger program. Now they just needed to access Luthor's files.

Dick used the password and pulled up some files as he waited for the information to copy over.

Dick's mouth dropped open as he came across private information about them, including a picture of himself and Jason talking to some Wayne employees at the office. The information made a one thing clear. There was a corporate spy within Bruce's company.

An office over, Robin stared at green rolling hills on a computer desktop screen and changed his mind. This was boring.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

Leroy S. Prevost was forty-eight years old. He had two adult kids still living at home, retirement was years away and he had no savings.

The no savings was now in the past. He had something. The first check cleared from that man in the bar and Leroy believed he had hit the jackpot. He just had to copy a couple of files here and there and collect office gossip. Despite being low on the corporate ladder, he was still able to walk up to Bruce Wayne's floor where the best gossip could be found.

An 'accident' befell the coffee maker on his floor and rumours started that the best coffee could be found in the kitchen on Bruce Wayne's floor. So he wasn't the only one who took the elevator to a different floor for their coffee break.

"You've got to be kidding me," a voice said from behind him. Immediately he went into panic mode. He was going to be mugged in the carpark, in the dark, before he could even unlock his car. Turning around, the first thing he noticed was a flash of red.

"Who-"

"I'm Robin, stupid." Robin grinned at him as he placed his hands on his hips. "And you don't look like the kind of guy who would be selling company secrets. Aren't you a little too invested in this job to consider hurting your chances of keeping it or moving up?"

"What would a kid like you know about that?" Leroy growled back.

Robin just shrugged. "Enough to know that there must be a reason you decided to sell Wayne's secrets to Lex Corp."

Leroy's heart did a little jump in shock. Lex Corp? He hadn't even thought about why the man in the bar had wanted the information or who he might be working for. That might have been a mistake.

"Lex Corp... is that why Batman's getting involved?" he questioned.

Robin's grin widened. "Smart. We already know the kind of information you've been gathering. What I want to know is, why is Luthor buying buildings before Wayne can?"

"That's above my pay-grade kid. You've have to ask Luthor. I didn't even know the information was going to him."

Robin sighed and muttered something under his breath. Leroy took a step back towards his car and bumped into a physical body.

Dick, in his all-black costume and mask, grinned at Leroy as he jolted forward and tripped flat on his face. He had been standing there a while, analysing the man's every movement and thought without him noticing.

"While he isn't a professional corporate spy, you should still treat him as such, Robin," Dick chastised the kid while flipping a knife in his hand.

Leroy swallowed. He hadn't heard about the other youth Batman had taken under his wing. Very few had.

"The information must go somewhere. How do you deliver it?" Robin asked, taking a step towards him.

Leroy spilled everything. Whatever he had been recruited into, it wasn't worth Batman's interest in him.

* * *

Bruce didn't want to send his sons to check out the 'person in the bar' Leroy had mentioned. However, Bruce was still in Metropolis while Dick and Jason were in Gotham. He had thought it would be a quick flight there to gather information and that they would be back before anyone realised they weren't with him. The longer they were in Gotham, the more chance there was for Luthor to make the connection between Batman's investigation and the Wayne family's movements.

Dick listened as Bruce tried to explain everything over the phone. He even let Bruce ramble about how he was going to fly over to assist them.

"We'll be fine," Jason insisted. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Dick raised an eyebrow at his little brother. Was Jason serious? Dick himself was a living testament to 'the worst that could happen'. Bruce seemed to be on a similar wavelength because he listed off a lot of terrible things which could happen to them as they investigated.

"Those could happen on a usual patrol," Jason said dismissively. "No offence, but I think we can handle this. We can even be back in Metropolis in two days, just in time for whatever party you're holding."

Bruce hummed in that low way which said he didn't really agree but couldn't think of any counter-arguments. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Jason."

"Oh, please. You do it all the time for those rich people events. You just say you forgot or got drunk and people consider it okay. Well, I was up gaming and too tired to go."

"That's not how it works. You are a still a child, Jason. You're expected to be seen with me."

"In that case, can't you claim you forgot, not go and so Jason and I aren't expected to appear."

"And then none of us have to go!" Jason cheered. "Best idea ever."

Bruce did the light little hum which said he agreed but couldn't say so out loud because Alfred would not approve.

"You said you would get back before then. Just do so and we won't have any issues."

"Of course."

"Be safe you two. The moment something seems off, get out."

"Got it!" Jason hung up and grinned widely at Dick. "This is our first solo mission!"

Dick nodded, smiling as well. However, worry coiled in his gut. It was easier to watch over Jason when he had Bruce and Alfred helping out.

* * *

It was a bar so Jason was automatically on watch outside. Dick had pulled on a blond wig and had green contacts in, making him look like a completely different person.

His outfit was the kind which he liked but Alfred and Jason but vetoed in his day to day wardrobe. It was bright, his shirt white with multi-coloured pokadots and his jacket and jeans a sensible navy denim.

Dick quickly found the man Leroy had described and sat down next to him.

"So, you're Leroy's handler. What's your interest in Wayne?"

The man looked at him and laughed.

"I'm not interested in Wayne. I'll have whatever you're drinking, it's potent stuff."

Dick pulled out a folder with all the information in it and placed it on the bench, sliding it across.

"That's everything I believe you were able to grab and a little extra." The 'extra' being the information Leroy had been planning to hand over right now, had he not been caught.

"What do you want?" the man asked.

"I want to know who your client is."

"I have no idea. I type and scan everything and sent it to an anonymous email address. Then money appears in a dead drop."

"No accounts to trace."

"That's correct. Although I get the feeling you know who hired me anyway."

Dick shrugged and slid a fifty across the bar.

"I want that email address."

The man hummed, took a sip of his drink and slipped the fifty into his pocket. But, even though he took the money, he shook his head. "No way. I doubt Leroy will be able to get me any more information which means that you just cost me a very valuable client."

Dick sighed and placed another fifty on the bar. The man took it but didn't relent.

"Do you know what the information is being used for?"

"Hm, now that I can answer. Although if you haven't noticed by now, you're not as clever as I think you are. Unless... you're here on someone's orders. Seems neither of us are here because of personal investment."

Speak for yourself, Dick thought. Although, he nodded in agreement. Better the man think they were similar than to be suspicious of their differences and Dick's possible connection to Wayne.

"The information is being used to block Wayne's philanthropist activities."

"Why?"

The man shrugged. "To keep Gotham in the dark? To show everyone how little Bruce Wayne actually cares? To build an empire?" That last one was the one Dick knew Bruce was worried about. "All three maybe? Rich men don't do things for any singular reason."

That Dick definitely agreed with. "Then our final piece of business is that email."

The man huffed. "I thought you understood. You're not getting it."

"That's alright," Dick said. "There are other ways to get information." The man would walk out and it would be Robin's turn to interrogate him. They'd get the email.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Robin managed to convince the guy to give them the email address. The choice was a little easier to make when he was hanging by his ankles four stories above the ground with Robin teasing about dropping him with a creepy man in black who didn't seem the least bit concerned with murder watching.

The email was accessed at Lex Corp, providing enough information for Wayne Enterprises to take legal steps against the other company for corporate espionage. However, it was not enough to pinpoint a single member of the company and Lex Luthor could come out of it completely clean.

"This sucks," were the first words Jason said to Bruce as they returned to the suite. They had just flown back and he was tired and disappointed.

"You did fine," Bruce said. "Luthor will be tied up in legal problems soon."

Jason groaned into a cushion, having taken up the entire couch when he dropped face down onto it. Dick resisted the urge to suggest killing Lex Luthor. He was a problem and Dick didn't think he could change.

"Did we really do fine?" he asked instead.

Bruce nodded. "Of course. Not only will I be able to take legal action against Luthor, I also know what buildings he's bought in our city. Alfred has already started looking into what the buildings are being used for. So far, he's found a couple which are legitimate businesses and few illegal storage sites. I'm not pleased with the amount of illegal equipment Luthor was hiding in my city but now we're able to do something about it."

"We?" Jason asked, head snapping up from the pillow.

"Is Robin not going to be Batman's partner anymore?" Bruce asked.

"Of course I am!" Jason countered determinedly.

"Then yes, 'we'."

Jason glared at Bruce. Bruce looked away first and Dick snickered at the pleased look which flashed on Jason's face for a moment.

"What's up with you?" Jason asked.

"Nothing," Dick responded.

Alfred cleared his throat. "I feel I should remind you all that there is an event you are all due to make an appearance at starting in four hours."

Everyone in the room visibly deflated.

"I can quick change in fifteen minutes," Bruce said, taking steps towards the room which had been converted into his temporary office while they were in this hotel. "Alfred, make sure the boys are ready."

"Hey!" Jason said in a betrayed tone. "Do you forget that you passed that skill on?"

"'Make sure you can change in under a minute,'" Dick recited. "You said it."

"Forty-one seconds is my record," Jason said.

"I wear my costume under my clothes. Less than thirty seconds," Dick said.

Bruce stared at them for a couple of moments. Then he closed the door.

"I think you got the message across, boys," Alfred said. The old butler actually sounded proud.

* * *

"Excuse me, Mr. Luthor?" Clark Kent pushed through the crowd to speak with the business owner. "What do you say to rumours that you have been buying up buildings in Gotham?"

"I say that information on what property is purchased in the business name is for my shareholders and not the press," Lex responded, narrowing his eyes at the bumbling reporter.

Jason and Dick were listening from nearby, stationed behind a couple of food tables. They had made camp there after saying the mandatory greetings from Bruce's side.

"Clever response," Jason mused. "He distanced himself from the purchases but also scolded farm boy for asking about them."

"Don't call Clark that," Dick said. He liked Clark Kent. Despite being able to kill everyone in this room with a look, except maybe Jason, Bruce, Alfred and himself, Clark appeared harmless. It was something Dick admired. He knew that his presence often put people on edge and he didn't like it.

One day, he wanted to be able to put people at ease and off guard the way Clark did.

Clark spotted them and waved. With a small smile, Dick waved back.

"I guess he's not that bad," Jason huffed, crossing his arms. Dick smiled down at him, suddenly reminded of when Bruce claimed that he and Clark weren't friends but colleagues who just worked towards the same goal.

"How so?" Dick asked.

"You've been smiling more since we've met him," Jason said. "It's good."

"Me? Smiling? Is good?" Dick questioned. Hadn't his smile been 'creepy' before?

Jason nodded and reached for a glass of champagne. Now frowning, Dick took the glass from him.

"Don't you dare," he said, "Alfred would kill us both."

Jason giggled. He always found it funny that Alfred was more terrifying than the Batman.

Dick's eyes tracked Lex's movements across the room. He had one more job to do before they left Metropolis the next day.

* * *

Breaking into a rich man's apartment wasn't difficult. Dick slipped in using everything he had learnt as a Talon and skills honed under Batman's tutelage. Lex Luthor was sitting at a table in the living area, reading something on his computer. He got up and pulled out a glass and filled it with wine. Then he looked out his window and poured another glass before opening the balcony glass door.

"I suppose I should invite you in," he said to the figure outside.

Superman floated in, keeping his feet off the ground as he entered the building. Superman's eyes flicked right over to the shadows where Dick was standing.

"So there is someone there, I thought as much," Luthor said, sliding one of the wines towards Superman.

The hero didn't move to take it. Instead he looked over at Dick.

"I can't see him either," Superman admitted. "It would be nice if you would join us."

Dick unsheathed a sword. It was not a weapon he often carried. In fact, he had taken off Luthor's wall. Superman's eyes widened and his smile drooped a fraction.

"An assassin?" Luthor commented dryly. "And here I thought you worked for Batman."

Dick twitched at being called an assassin.

"I'm not here to kill you," he said.

"He is one of Batman's though," Superman pointed out. Dick gave him the batglare for that one. "I'm here to take him back."

Luthor rolled his eyes.

"And by what moniker am I supposed to refer to you as?" Luthor questioned. "I can put it on the restraining order."

It wasn't the restraining order part that caused Dick to pause but the question of what he was calling himself. Dick could ignore the restraining order like how Superman was doing right now. But, Dick was not going to call himself 'Talon' especially not after Superman went and confirmed him as part of Batman's group.

The name of a hero Superman had told him about came to mind. A hero known for being a catalyst of change; for rebuilding. It was something Dick wanted to do.

"Nightwing," he said, glancing over at Superman. Superman nodded, smiling. "I'm Nightwing."

"Quaint," Luthor stated.

"I'm here to let you know that we're still watching you." Dick knew the value of fear and being a terror of the night. Even if Luthor didn't look it, it would eat away at him.

"Nightwing," Superman said, pointing at the balcony door. He was offering him a lift out of here. Nightwing took it, grinning at Luthor all the while.

"More of them," Luthor muttered in distaste as he sipped his wine.

* * *

 **Notes:** This ends the 'Nightwing arc' of this story. The final arc takes place in the future so you can see how everything turns out for Nightwing and Robin. It will be shorter than the other two arcs (the one focused on Jason becoming Robin and the one about Dick becoming Nightwing/taking a name), probably no more than a chapter or two. Yep, this story is ending soon.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Jason turned sixteen when he decided on a change. At the time, Dick spent every other weekend in New York with heroes his own age. Despite them asking him to join permanently, Dick just couldn't cut himself off from Gotham. Jason's change came during one of Dick's weekends away.

Dick left Batman and Robin and returned to Batman and Red Robin. The addition to the name meant a changed costume, something in red and black with yellow utility belts strapped around the chest in an X shape.

It was shortly after this that they became aware of someone following them during patrol. The person in question had let their curiosity of Robin's change make them sloppy. Nightwing was able to pin them down and was about to interrogate when he realised it was only a child.

Tim Drake was a child who should not have been on the street. He gave the names of helpful people around Crime Alley, names Jason recognised as truly well-meaning people, and tried to assure them that he was completely safe. However, Jason also knew that anyone known to those people had no one looking out for them. When they caught him a second time, Nightwing had became more alert to the kid's presence, they took him back to the cave.

A 10 year old Tim was not the most confident kid. However, he could not stand by when he was the only one who could do something. When Nightwing next went to New York to hang with the Titans and Batman and Red Robin ended up trapped, Tim took an old Robin suit and rushed out to help them.

Batman and Robin, Red Robin and Nightwing made the streets of Gotham safer than they had been in decades. While times could be tough and criminals seemed to get crazier and bolder with the passing years, they were a family.

* * *

The small family grew into a clan. A Bat Clan which was left directionless when Batman died. Jason found everyone turned to him for leadership now. Even Dick.

Everyone, except the little brat Bruce had taken in right before he died. Damian Wayne was Bruce's biological son with the assassin Princess Talia Al Ghul. His existence was kept a secret until he turned ten, when he was sent to live with his father.

He berated the people of the manor day after day.

 _"How dare you wear father's suit, you thieving street rat!"_

 _"-tt- You're embarrassing."_

 _"In the League of Assassins, we showed our enemies no mercy."_

There was only so much they could take. After one night where Damian's interference resulted in two police officers ending up in hospital and the criminal not being that lucky, Dick had enough. Damian wasn't even supposed to be there. He had no costume beyond the white and black assassin outfit and cloak he had been wearing when his mother dropped him off.

Dick could hear the kid's voice as he stormed over to the computers, where Tim and Jason were barely holding back. The fist clenched at Tim's side showed that Robin wanted to punch the kid. Jason saw something in Dick's expression, something he hadn't seen in years.

He was almost sorry for Damian. Almost.

"You pathetic impersonators-" Damian stopped and glared at Dick as he dropped a long bag before them.

"You think we're playing around?" Dick stated coolly. "You think we're making a mockery of 'your father's' legacy? Prove it. Kill me."

"What?" Tim questioned in shock. Jason moved to his side and kept him from rushing Dick. "What are you saying?"

Even Damian seemed surprised but he quickly hid it under contempt.

"You realise you're inviting me to kill you?" Damian glared at Jason. "You'll probably hold it against me if I kill him. I won't fall for an obvious trap."

"It's not a trap," Jason said.

"What are you saying?" Tim repeated. He looked to Dick. "Why are you giving him a chance to kill you?" Then he turned to Jason. "And why are you letting him?"

"Because Dick knows what he's doing," Jason responded. "And he won't let such a little brat kill him."

"I had better manners," Dick stated. "A noisy crow gets shot, little bird."

Damian tensed at the nickname. "Don't group me in with you lot." The kid ignored the bag of weapons and pulled out his own blade. He pointed the blade at Dick. "I'll kill you."

Dick pulled out a knife. "You can try," he stated dully.

* * *

Damian leapt at him, swinging the blade. Dick barely moved, only taking a small step forward and ducking low as his knife blade met the blade of the sword to redirect it over his head. He was low and a quick shuffle forward had his knife heading towards Damian's gut. Damian was wide open, off balance as his swing hadn't hit and now his blade was too far to the other side for him to redirect it quick enough.

Damian danced to the side, just barely avoiding being gutted. He panted in shock as Dick straightened up and towered over him like an impossible object.

"Got your shirt," Dick stated. Then he grinned, an unnerving grin which bordered on madness. "Try again."

A chill went down Damian's back. In the League, they were told to not even bother with the eldest one under Batman's care. Dick smiled and laughed and attempted to be friends with everyone he met. Nightwing was a figure in the darkness and the League of Assassins figured that he picked up things at the circus and on the streets which made him useful to Batman.

Jason, at least, was a bulky threat who had been in this job since he was a teenager. He had been training under Batman for all that time, making him a formidable threat.

Tim was considered a threat by Ra's because of his detective skills and the training he underwent before becoming Robin. Training which Nightwing had nothing to do with, according to their sources.

Damian would not lose to the 'childish tag-along'. Damian swung again, low this time. Dick flipped over his head and cold hands wrapped around Damian's shoulders and cupped his chin. Where was the knife?

"I don't need the knife to slice your neck," Dick whispered chillingly in his ear. A finger tapped under Damian's chin and he felt exactly how sharp it was.

Dick had blades hidden in his gloves. It was over. Damian closed his eyes and waited for Dick to end it.

Instead, he was let go and pushed forward a couple of steps.

"Try again," Dick ordered.

Damian heard Tim curse in the background. Dick had gone crazy. Nevertheless, Damian hefted his sword and got ready to try again. Dick deflected the blade and made the fight run longer by dodging and deflecting.

"Oh good, Dick's calmed down a little," Jason commented from the sidelines.

Damian growled.

"And now you're too tense," Dick commented as he flipped back away from the sword.

"Stop toying with me!" Damian shouted, swinging his blade down. Dick twirled out of the way and shoved him into the ground.

"Careless," he commented. "You're angry and you're letting it make you careless." Dick threw him to the ground again as he rushed him. "I'm not toying with you. I'm training you. Get up."

Damian pulled himself to his feet ignoring the ache in his muscles. He attacked and Dick, who immediately threw him to the ground again.

When Damian began to stumble to his feet, Jason finally interrupted. "Dick, the kid's had enough. Stop."

"He's been trained by assassins. He should be able to go all night," Dick responded flatly.

"Damian is not a talon to be trained."

"I know that," Dick hissed. "But he doesn't."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Jason went to the office early. With Bruce gone, he had taken over Wayne Enterprise's operations. Dick had vanished, finding comfort in the tight areas between the walls. Right now, he was watching the little one. Damian stood outside Tim's room and wished there was someone else he could question.

"Do you have some business with Master Timothy, Young Master Damian?" Alfred was just as silent as Damian's grandfather and seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"What did Todd mean when he said I'm not a Talon?" Damian asked.

Dick frowned and wondered how much Alfred would tell him.

"Do you know what a talon is?" Alfred asked.

There was a moment of silence which made it clear that Damian did not know what a talon was. Dick breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"A talon is a myth," Tim answered, his door finally opening. "Just like the Court they supposedly enforce for." Tim looked away from Alfred to glare at Damian.

Damian ignored Tim. "Pennyworth, what Court?"

"The Court of Owls," Alfred responded.

 _"Beware the Court of Owls,"_ Tim recited, _"that watches all the time._

 _"Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch,_

 _"Behind granite and lime._

 _"They watch you at your hearth,_

 _"They watch you in your bed,_

 _"Speak not a whispered word of them,_

 _"Or they'll send a Talon for your head."_

"-tt- A fairy tale to scare the foolish," Damian decided. "Such an organisation can't exist."

"It doesn't exist. Not anymore."

Both boys turned to Alfred.

"Not anymore?" Tim questioned. "It did?" He shivered at the thought.

"Father took them down, I assume," Damian said.

Alfred nodded. "But their Talon of the era escaped Master Bruce's wrath."

"What? You're saying one of them is still walking around?" Damian questioned. "Father wouldn't allow something like that."

"'Not a Talon to be trained'," Tim repeated what Jason had said. "The talon means something to Dick."

"How were talons trained anyway?" Damian questioned.

Alfred remained silent on that one. Dick recalled the labyrinth and training until he couldn't train anymore and then training even beyond that. His stomach churned and he wanted to throw up.

* * *

Jason found him a while later. Dick had gone to his room and spread himself out flat on the bed.

"I'm not sleeping under the bed tonight, Dick," Jason said. "I don't fit."

Dick turned his head and opened one eye to look at his brother. Jason might have grown tall and muscular like Bruce but their beds were large.

"You could make yourself fit," he responded flatly.

Jason sighed and crossed the room, putting his briefcase onto his desk. "What's got you all out of sorts?" he asked. "Did Damian attempt to assassinate you?"

"I wish," Dick sighed. At least he knew how to deal with an attempted assassination upon his person. He told Jason about the conversation he overheard. Tim and Damian probably knew he used to be a talon by now.

"You know you shouldn't go skulking around the manor like that," Jason said. "Alfred knows about those passages." When Dick didn't respond, he decided to ask, awkward feelings aside. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"You know they won't care. Damian's an assassin and Tim didn't even believe in the Court before today so they'll still see you as the goofy adult who didn't really grow up." There was a knock at the door and Jason opened it without letting the person see inside.

"What's up Tim?"

"I've been looking for Dick. Cass called."

"From Hong Kong?"

Tim shook his head. "From Barbara's. Apparently she flew in last night. Steph says that she and Barbara kidnapped her for a girls only sleepover last night and that's why Cass didn't tell us she was back."

Jason sighed. Just what he needed, the other assassin-raised bat in Gotham. He loved Cass but she tended to add fuel to the fire between his brothers. She found their fighting 'amusing' because she 'could see how much they loved each other'. And wasn't it just messed up that they didn't show love unless they were beating the snot out of each other?

"Cass is back?" Dick said, perking up and even getting up off the bed.

"Yeah," Tim responded a little dumbfounded. He gave Jason a look which said he was a surprised to find the eldest of them in Jason's room. "Um... about what happened after patrol-"

"Damian needs to learn to adapt, especially when his expectations don't match up," Dick said. "I'm attempting to give him that lesson, although I'm not the best at teaching."

"Yeah, you prefer to beat things until they listen," Jason said. "Leave the eloquence to me, thanks."

"You didn't even notice that's what's bothering him."

Jason didn't want to admit Dick was right. So, he demanded to know, "what do you suggest then? Let him fight you?"

"He could fight Cass," Tim suggested with only a little malice in his tone. If he got to watch Damian get beaten by Cass, he would be a happy vigilante indeed.

"I think he needs a focus. Bruce had Batman, we have our vigilante identities, why not let the kid out to fight crime?"

"We're not giving the kid Red Robin."

"Tim could have Red Robin. Damian could be Robin. Or Flamebird." Flamebird had been the name of Nightwing's partner in Clark's stories.

"You can't seriously be thinking of letting him out there? He'll kill anyone who crosses his path!" Tim argued.

However, Jason was thoughtful. "A trial process," he decided, using a similar method to what Wayne Enterprises did when they were looking at new hires. "The kid kills or maims anyone and he's out. Also, he's only allowed to work with you," he nodded at Dick. "Or Cass."

"Not you?" Tim questioned.

"Whether the kid's Robin or not, I'd rather not be watching my back for his sword. I did replace the kid's father in the suit, after all. Also, Dick's in charge of telling him."

Tim nodded his agreement. He also agreed moments later when Jason made a compelling argument for him to take over Red Robin regardless of which ID Damian took.

* * *

It was no surprise to any of them that Damian picked Robin. Tim shrugged and tried not to show how it bothered him. He believed that showing indifference would bug Damian and took comfort from that. The rules were explained to Damian and it didn't escape anyone's notice that he kept looking at Dick.

Damian's first night as Robin was a quiet one. They met Cass, dressed as Black Bat, and most of the crimes were taken care of by the new Red Robin and the blond Batgirl. Damian decided to engage in information gathering since nothing exciting was happening.

"Nightwing," he said. Dick had known he was there. While he knew Damian would be in trouble once Batman realised the kid had snuck away from him and Black Bat, Nightwing also knew there was no point mentioning it to Damian.

"Were you really a Talon?" Damian asked. It was only now that he realised he had never been able to sneak up on Dick or Nightwing. The older man seemed to notice whenever others were around. "Like from the children's rhyme?"

"Speak not a whispered word, Damian," Nightwing responded softly.

"-tt- I don't care about the hidden rules of some dead cult."

Nightwing was at his throat in a moment, sliding down in one swift movement to point the edge of a blade at Damian's throat but not touching. The kid paused for a moment and then glared determinedly at him.

"That's a yes," Damian deduced. "I have a question, since you were an assassin apparently skilled enough to have only a children's rhyme whisper word of you. How do you keep from killing the idiots and fools?"

"I am one of those fools, Robin," Nightwing responded. "Or at least I was. I was a normal circus kid until my parents died. It's not like I was raised knowing that I was to be the Court's Talon. But, once Talon, I thought he knew everything. The moves people would make and the best way to kill them. But then, I met someone who did something different. Something unexpected. He didn't react the way I thought."

"Father?" Robin questioned curiously.

Nightwing smiled and shook his head. "No. Batman was predictable."

"He destroyed the Court!" Robin reminded Nightwing.

"I know. But he didn't catch me now, did he?"

Damian was silent as he pondered that. Did Talon purposely let Batman take the Court down? Not even Dick was certain.

"It was Jason. He did the unexpected. That's why you can't anticipate, little bird. If you take a moment to look, really look at the people around you, you might find someone like that."

* * *

It took a few weeks and Batman losing sight of Damian again during their team up with Black Bat but the ex-assassin turned Robin found someone who did the unexpected. A child who, instead of running, faced up to Zsasz. One who figured out who Damian was. One who held his own secret. Damian certainly hadn't expected the small, skinny, red-haired Colin Wilkes to instantly buff up into the muscular adult form of Abuse. He didn't expect Abuse to spare the lives of his enemies.

Damian thought it would be worth hanging around this kid more.

* * *

 _END_

* * *

 **Notes:** So that's the end. Sorry Cass didn't have a bigger role in this but it was more focused on Damian and Dick.

Anyway, I'm going to take a small break and enjoy not having any stories which need updating for a couple of days. I'll be back on the night of the 18th (Australian time) with a new story.


End file.
